101 Days of Seddie
by popcorn1001
Summary: Whether it be subtle or quite freakin' obvious, the relation that Sam and Freddie have dangles between the line of frenemies and love. Written from a list of prompts, different situations that Sam and Freddie always seem to find themselves in. SEDDIE.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a challenge that I've seen both Shiningstat1998 and Ashlee Seddie start. It's all Seddie-centred one shots using the words below. The words were originally in a random order but I sorted them in descending alphabetical order (Z-A) because nothing is ever normal in the wonderful world of Seddie. I will be going in the order that is posted below and because the idea is to write a one shot with all of these prompts (and I deem a one shot at least one page long) then you will be able to tell what's coming next. I hope you like them, and I just couldn't stay away from the world of iCarly fanfiction for very long. Hope you enjoy.**

**-Popcorn1001**

**Words:**

**Zoo**

**Wreck**

**Worried**

**Web show**

**Weak **

**TV**

**Trampoline**

**Tomboy**

**Time**

**Tiger**

**Thrill**

**Thoughts**

**Third**

**Theme Song**

**Text**

**Test**

**Summer**

**Stuffed Animal**

**Stressed**

**Storm**

**Soft**

**Sleepover**

**Sign**

**Seattle**

**Sculpture**

**Scream**

**School**

**Rubber band**

**Rollercoaster **

**Rainbow**

**Project**

**Prank**

**Poster**

**Pointless**

**Picture**

**Piano**

**Perfection**

**Park**

**Paper Airplane**

**Night**

**Nicknames**

**Mumble**

**Moonlight**

**Monkey**

**Mistake**

**Mischief**

**Makeup**

**Love**

**Locker**

**Lips**

**Lecture**

**Laugh**

**Journal**

**Jealousy**

**January**

**Influence**

**Impression**

**Hug**

**Hospital**

**Hate**

**Handcuffs**

**Hamster**

**Ham**

**Guess**

**Gravy**

**Grapes**

**Glint**

**Girly**

**Gift**

**Game**

**Frienemies**

**Friday**

**Flying**

**Flowers**

**Flawed**

**Fight**

**Dress**

**Drawing**

**Daydream **

**Dance**

**Cuddling**

**Crazy**

**Crayons**

**Cool**

**Cookie**

**Contest**

**Confession**

**Clueless**

**Circus**

**Cage**

**Bracelet**

**Bowling**

**Boredom**

**Blondes**

**Baseball Bat**

**Banter**

**Balloon**

**Bad Boy**

**Air Hockey**

**Afternoon**

**Accident**


	2. Zoo

**A/N: **So here we go, this is the first Chapter of my new fanfiction. Hopefully you'll like it!

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><p><strong>Zoo<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

"I can't believe Carly would rather stay at school then go on a field trip," Sam sighs and shakes her head.

I laughed, "Sam, this field trip is extra credit, you need it to pass, and we're going to be there for even longer than we are normally at school,"

Sam shrugged, "Better than here any day," she paused, "Wait, why are you here if this is only so we'll pass the class?"

"I figured I could film some stuff for iCarly," Freddie shrugged, "We haven't updated the site in awhile."

"Fredamame, you couldn't film stuff without me anyway! I'm the co-host of iCarly, and since Carly's not coming with us, it's just me and you all day long!" Sam cheered, "Oooh, and I bet I can use the footage for my extra credit."

We climbed on the bus together and Sam growled at everyone until she got the seat in the back, I slipped in beside her and she growled again but I ignored, "Who said you could use MY footage for YOUR project?"

Sam sighed, "If I don't turn something in, I'm gonna fail, and if I fail this class I won't have enough credits to graduate, and hell if I am coming back here without Carls. It's the only class I'm still having trouble with; I don't even know why I took biology."

"Alright, I'll help you," I gave in, as I already knew I would have done anyway, "Wait – your passing the rest of your classes Sam? That's great."

"Not just passing Benson," Sam smiled, "Mostly 60s, some 70s and one…" she shivered, "80."

"Wow, Samantha Puckett has an A!" I exclaimed and the flinched as Sam shoved me painfully.

"Don't call me Samantha, Fredward!" she grumbled.

"And here is where I wanted to put Freddie!" Sam narrated pointing to the tiger cage at the zoo, "Carly said it was too dangerous and that he might get mauled! I doubt it, Fredweird can run pretty fast when he wants too."

"And we're clear," I stated, stopping the recording, I would piece these clips together later and then put them on the site. Sam began walking ahead of me, onto the next exhibit, where monkeys were.

I caught up to her and looked into the cage, it was complete and utter chaos. Some monkeys were in the corner throwing their um – excrements – and some were plucking bugs from the monkey sitting in front of them, there seemed to be groups scattered everywhere. They're own little cliques, it reminded me of…

"It's just like school." Sam echoed what I had been thinking and I nodded in agreement. She pointed to the monkey who were still throwing feces and said, "Those are the big dumb jocks," she then pointed to those monkeys who were grooming each other, "The cheerleaders, making sure each other look perfect," she faked vomiting.

"That means that we'd be in there too, Sam," I reminded her gently.

"We are," Sam announced happily, and pointed to a trio of monkeys, sitting at the base of one of the trees, there were two, wrestling and almost impossible to tell apart and the third was watching them and I couldn't believe I was saying this about a monkey, but it had such an exasperated expression on his or her face.

"So, that one's obviously Carly," I stated and Sam nodded, "But which is me and which is you?"

"I'm the one that's winning," Sam laughed, as she continued to watch the two monkeys fight, but it was more of a playful kind of fight then a serious thing.

I squinted, "Which one's winning?" and just as the question leaves my mouth the monkeys separate, one of them appearing almost gleeful, and the other nursing what looked like a small wound, "Ah, that one."

"Don't worry, the one that's you is kinda cute like you too…" Sam trailed off realizing what she had said.

"You think I'm kind of cute…" I said, still stunned, after a few moments of awkward silence, Sam's head is hung, and she turns to glare at me threateningly, I noticed she's red from the roots of her hair to her chin. "Are you blushing, Sam?"

"Shut up!" Sam mumbled, finally, she regains her composure, "Okay, yes. Maybe sometimes you're not so bad to look at, but if you ever mention to anyone what I truthfully think of you, I will person make sure there are no future Bensons, got it, Freddork?"

I gulped nervously, and then decided I know what I could do to smooth over this uncomfortable situation. "Wanna fatshake Sam?" I asked pointing to the cart.

Sam grinned, "What kind of a question is that? Obviously I want a fatshake."

We walked together towards the cart, I purchased the fatshake and hand it to Sam, and then I glanced at my watch and realize that we have to get back to the bus.

I told Sam and we hurried to the entrance and then onto the bus. As the bus started to move I hear Sam say something that I think is almost poetic, "Out of one zoo, back to another zoo."

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><p><strong>AN**: I hope you all liked this first chapter! There will be plenty more of them I'm sure. R&R!


	3. Wreck

**A/N: Chapter 2.**

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><p><strong>Wreck<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I knew I must look like a complete wreck. I was sure that my already flyaway hair was becoming a complete mess and I was out of breath from running quite a few blocks and up the stairs of the Bushwell apartment. I had been too impatient to wait for the bus and there was absolutely no way I was going to wait for the elevator, so by the time I reached the 8th floor, I could barely knock let alone wheeze out the single word I needed to, "Carly,"

I used up what was left of my energy to knock on the door again after there was no answer, then slid down against the door and sighed, she clearly wasn't home. The door across the hall creaked open and a brunette teenager peeked around it, "Oh… I thought I heard someone," he announced, then he took in my appearance and was immediately kneeling on the floor beside me, "Sam, are you okay?"

I was finally catching my breath so I nod, and motioned behind me. Thankfully the nub understood, "She went to the junkyard with Spencer, she'll be back soon. Why? What's going on?"

I shook my head, I wanted to keep this a secret, I wanted Carly to be the first one to know, and yet at the same time I was bursting to tell someone and Frederly was still kneeling right in front of me. While I was going through the mental dilemma, Freddie noticed what I had clutched in my hand.

"What are those envelopes?" he asked, "C'mon you can tell me."

"Can we go into your apartment first?" I asked, not believing the words that were coming out of my mouth. Freddie nodded and stood up offering me a hand which I ignored despite my exhaustion, pushing myself up.

Freddie closed the still open door behind me, and leads me to his bedroom, "Have a seat," he said, but by the time it's out of his mouth, I've already flopped onto his bed.

I smirked, "Nice sheets," I mumbled into the Galaxy War printed fabric.

"Okay, so, you going to tell me what's in the envelopes?" He asked, completing ignoring my jibe, which further irritated me.

"Fine." I sighed, all fighting energy drained from long and now pointless run across town and up several flights of stairs, "There all replies from the colleges I've applied for."

"Wow, I didn't even know you had applied," Freddie said.

"Carly made me, and she promised she'd be here so we could open my rejections together," I explained.

"Sam, they might not all be rejections," he said, gently.

"How do you know? It's not like you had any trouble getting into the Ivy League school, Freducation. I mean, my marks improved, but they're still not the best." I continued to mumble into the sheets covering his bed.

I groaned. Suddenly, I felt the mattress sink a little, and the familiar scent that just is Freddie, surrounded me, I felt him, gently pry the envelopes from my fingers, there were four in all. He cleared his throat, "Do you want to do them all at once or one at a time?"

I sat up slowly, and turned so we were facing each other, "One at a time." Freddie nodded and put his hands behind his back.

"Right or left?" he asked innocently.

"Right," I answered automatically.

He pulled out two envelopes and laid them on the bed between us, "Right or left?" he repeated, and I rolled my eyes.

"Right," I repeated reaching out for the one of my right.

"Well, that's actually my left, but we'll go with it," Freddie smiled at me, encouraging me to open the envelope. I slid my finger under the flap and then opened the folded letter with a shaky breath.

_Miss Puckett,_

_We're sorry to inform you that we cannot accept you into the program of your choice at this time. We are pleased to inform you, however that you have been put on the waiting list for Culinary Arts. _

I crumpled the letter and felt a sting at my eyes, I blinked, no tears, not in front of Freddie. "So that's a no then?" Freddie asked reaching for the letter, but I pushed him out of the way.

"Waiting list," I muttered, "I'm just not their first choice,"

"Well, that school was too far away from Seattle anyway," Freddie announced, "Next one."

I looked up at Freddie, "What do you mean, too far away from Seattle? I want to get as far away as possible…"

"Oh," Freddie said, pushing the next envelope towards me.

I ripped the envelope open this time and unfolded the letter hastily, preparing for the worst.

_Miss Puckett,_

_We're pleased to inform you that we have accepted you into the Seattle Community College for both Culinary Arts and Drama for Film and Television. We looking forward to hearing your reply by the date of May 21__st__._

_We look forward to seeing you,_

_Mark Pearson  
>Head of Admissions<br>Seattle Community College_

"Is Seattle close enough for you?" I asked Freddie mockingly.

"You got in?" I nodded, and he hugged me, "Congrats Sam!"

"We still have tomorrow to open, and I'm sure they'll both be nos. They are both for schools in New York City, since Carly's going to NYU, and even though there are just colleges, I mean, who would want me anyway? My grades are in the toilet, and the only extra-curricular I have is detention."

"Sam, relax," Freddie said, taking my hands and placing the third envelope in them, "C'mon where's the Puckett I know? The one who's not afraid of anything, the one who is proud of who she is,"

I smiled slightly at Freddie's words as I tore open the third letter.

_Miss Samantha Puckett,_

_We are sorry to inform you… blah blah blah, same as the first letter._

"Well?" Freddie asked tentatively as I stare at the rejection letter in my hand.

"Just what I thought," I said disgustedly, throwing the letter onto the clean floor of Fredward's room. "Forget the last one Freddie, I know what it's going to say." And I stand preparing to exit the room, when I hear the last envelope ripped open.

"Hey! It's against the law to open other people's mail!" I shouted, not really sure if that was the truth as I turned and faced Freddie again.

"Don't you want to know what it says?" he asked, looking up at me from his seated position.

I shook my head no, but I didn't move and my heart beat faster and I saw that faint glimmer of hope once more,"Yes…" I whispered.

Freddie stood and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, half-heartedly I wrapped my arms around his back, "You got in," he whispered in my ear.

I pulled away shocked, "I got in?" I half-question half-shouted.

"Congratulations, Sam, you got in, for the program of your choice too," He informed me, "Are you going to go there?"

I nodded excitedly, "I GOT IN!" I shouted, launching myself back into his arms, "I'm going to college! And I'm going with Carly to New York City!"

Freddie stumbled back a little to adjust to the sudden addition of my weight, laughing at my excitement. He placed his hands on my waist, and steadied both of us as I announced, "I have to tell Carls!" and I stepped away from Freddie to search for my phone. In my haste to leave earlier I realized that I must have left my phone on my bed. Freddie holds out his PearPhone, "Here, you tell her, it's your news."

And as I grabbed the phone from his hand, I said the words that I thought I would never say to Fredbag, "Hey, thanks a lot Fredwina, for everything."

He just smiled in return.

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><p><strong>AN:** Aw, Sam is nervous and it's cute. I just think that if Sam did apply to college she would want Carly to be there with her. And Freddie's just being a good friend. Or is he? Haha, I always think that Freddie and Sam have to acknowledge their friendship, not ignore it in order for them to progress. Also, on that note, I am sooo excited for iOMG, but I am prepared for a twist at the end. That's the iCarly way.


	4. Worried

**A/N: **So, there are 3 things that are new and different about this chapter for me. 1) It's from Carly's POV, which I find incredibly challenging, I mean, Freddie is the most like me out the trio, so I see a lot of my fanfics, and Sam is so much fun to write, so I'm not too sure how this new experience turned out. 2) Freddie's not even in this chapter, I mean he's mentioned quite a bit, but except for a text message you don't hear any of Freddie really. And finally 3) this chapter is in Present tense! :S Present tense is not my forte, I find it really hard to write as though the things are actually happening in the moment, I much prefer to write as though the events have already happened. Okay, way too long of an Author's Note, read on!

* * *

><p><strong>Worried<strong>

**Carly's POV**

I'm so freakin' out right now! I'm freaking out so bad; I'm so upset I'm tempted to take a shower. I might even have to get the chair again. I am pacing back and forth in the small space between the door and the kitchen counter. This is so not good, there's no way to go at all.

Spencer peeks his head out of his room, "Hey, Carly, what's with the pacing?"

"I'm freakin' out!" I screech, and Spencer, who has taken a couple of steps towards me, jumps back surprised.

"Why?" my big brother asks, tentatively taking a step towards me again, probably fearful that I would shatter his ear drum again.

I take a deep breath, "I haven't seen Sam or Freddie for days!"

"I thought it was kind of quiet around here," Spencer muses, "Maybe they went to their own houses for a change," he laughs.

"It's not funny!"I yell, and Spencer put his hands to his ears, "The last time this happened Sam was in juvy!"

"Huh?" asks my stupid older brother, his hands still covering his ears.

I stand on tip to and pull his arms down from his face, "I said, "The last time this happened Sam was in juvy!"

"Ohhhhh," Spencer says, "Hey, you don't think Sam murdered Freddie do you?"

I thought of my two bickering best friends, and to be honest, I didn't think so. Even if Freddie and Sam fought like cat and dog, they were friends, though they would never admit it. Freddie proved he cared about Sam when he gave away that cruise for her, and Sam proved herself to be Freddie's friend when she apologized. I mean, Sam's only apologized to me, like four times in our entire lives and she's my best friend in the entire world, "Nah, I don't think so,"

"Then maybe they're together?" Spencer asks.

And for a moment I think Spencer means together, together, but then I realize that he of course means that they are just hanging out without me, because even though Sam and Freddie are friends and they did share their first kiss with each other (and kept it a secret from me, but that's beside the point), there's not a chance that they could be together. Especially not without telling me, we promised no more secrets. I shake my head, "I guess they could be but I doubt it,"

"Well, are you sure you're not freakin' out over nothing?" Spencer asks me.

"It's not nothing! I'm worried about them!" My pitch rises with each sentence and Spencer cringes, raising his hands to his ears again.

"I'm sure they're okay," Spencer says, "And the one thing for sure we know is it that they're not here,"

As soon as that sentence left Spencer's mouth the door swung open revealing Sam. "I stand corrected," Spencer says, turning around to look at Sam.

"Where have you been?" I half-shout, half-question Sam.

Sam laughs at me, as Spencer returns to his room, so he can save his eardrums, "I was with my mom actually, she took me to this restaurant – all you can eat pork – on Friday, and then we both spent Saturday and Sunday in front of our respective toilets. Knew I shouldn't trust that pork that cheap, or any place my mom eats really, and before you fuss, I'm fine now, really."

"Oh, okay," I sigh, sitting down on the couch, well, there's one mystery solved, but, "What about Freddie?"

"What about the dork?" Sam asks me, confusion on her face.

"I haven't seen him all weekend either," I tell her and Sam looks even more confused.

"Well, that's weird," she says, "did you text the nub?"

I sigh, "Of course, I texted…" I pause, pulling on my phone and scrolling through the texts and realize that they are all to Sam.

"You didn't text him did you?" Sam asks, knowingly.

"Shush you…" I reprimand, embarrassed beyond belief, then I text Freddie, and his response is quick as a flash.

_Got dragged into a parenting conference with Mom, it's called What to Do When Your Baby Boy or Girl is Friends with a Delinquent – be back tonight! – Freddie_

I show the text to Sam and giggle, "That is so you," Sam laughs at the text message, and then something about the text jolted my recent memory. I laugh again thinking of when I thought Spencer had suggested that Sam and Freddie were together, together.

"What are you laughing about Carls?" Sam asks me, tilting her head to the side, and then swiping away the bangs that have fallen into her eyes with the sudden change of position.

"Well, when Spencer was trying to calm me down, he asked if you guys we're together, and for a split second I thought he meant together, together, you know," and I crack up again.

Then I notice that Sam is silent, not laughing along with me, "That's totally unbelievable, right Sam?" I wait for a few seconds, then repeat, "Right Sam?" a few more seconds of silence pass, as I stare at my best friend's expressionless face, "Right?" I ask again, taking her by the shoulders and shaking them.

"Maybe, Carly, it's not so unbelievable," Sam whispers, "I mean, it could happen, you know, maybe someday, not saying it will, or that I want it too," she add quickly, "although, maybe… just maybe." Sam drifts off, back into her own thoughts. Now I think I have a lot more to be worried about. I'm going to take a shower.

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><p><strong>AN:** Oooh I hope you liked it! R&R! I'm so excited for iOMG, I even read Dan Scneider's behind the scene facts, spoilers and all, haha, I loved it. The coolest thing is _****SPOILER ALERT****_ the pear-shaped PearPhone and PearPad that they made. I think it's awesome. _****End of SPOILER ** **_ So yeah, it airs tomorrow so I will be searching for it all night since I live in Canada. Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Web Show

**A/N: ** If you haven't watched, iOMG, _**do not read this.**_ So I'll I can think is OMG! **SPOILER!** They kissed! Well, Sam kissed Freddie, Freddie stood there like this O_O. Also he was so shocked he did nothing with his hands... which weirds me out a little. So, now that I know what actually happened in iOMG, I'm going to use this prompt to write from Freddie's POV during the web show, this is when we first see Sam acting differently. **SPOILER OVER **Great episode.

* * *

><p><strong>Web Show<strong>

I'm barely containing my laughter as Carly says, "Look at us,"

Then Sam says, "Now back at Gibby," and I swing the camera to shoot Gibby's face and upper body.

"Now back at us," back to Carly and Sam.

"Now back at Gibby," once more to a close up, on our friend Gibby.

I flipped quickly back to focus on the girls, as Carly states in a monotone voice, "His hands are full of tuna fish salad," and to prove it, I focus on Gibby again, now holding the Brad-made ball or tuna fish salad.

I point the camera again at the girls, this has to be one of our more physical web shows, and I'm actually getting tired.

"Now look down,"

"Back up,"

"Look out your window,"

"Think about cheese," and I can't help but laugh quietly, because I'm fairly sure, this Old Spice Parody is the funniest thing we've ever parodied – except maybe Moonlight Twi-Blood.

"Stop thinking about cheese."

The tone in which Sam delivers the line, "Your web show isn't as good as this web show," actually makes my hands shake slightly with my contained laughter.

"But your web show can smell like this web show,"

"If you have a Gibby," and I wonder, who else could ever even find someone as crazy as Gibby? He's really one of a kind, he is.

"Holding a large bowl of tuna fish salad,"

And frame back to Gibby, zoom out just as he says, "I'm on a cow," and though it's not seen in the shot, Sam presses a button on her blue remote, (the third one down), and the cow makes a "ba-ah-ah" noise, much like a sheep would.

Carly and Sam jump into the shot, Gibby still seating on the cow in the background, "Now, before we go," Carly starts.

"How about a hand for our newest addition to iCarly…" Sam continues,

"A guy who helps us out for free!" Carly finishes, but then Sam adds,

"And makes top-notch fudge," in a singsong voice.

"Say hello to iCarly's new intern…" Carly starts, and then together her and Sam shout, "Braaaaaaad" and Sam presses another button on the remote, so the word Brad appears below him (he had the idea to make the letters out of fudge), I knew I liked this guy. Brad waves as I turn the camera on him, he's busy at the laptops, and making sure nothing goes wrong. Carly and Sam chant his name and I turn the camera back to the host and co-host of our little web show.

Suddenly, Sam and Carly both appear very solemn, and Sam wraps an arm around Carly's shoulders and leans her head close to Carly, as Carly says, sadly, "And so ends another addition of iCarly,"

"I think we all learned a little something tonight,"' Sam delivers the line in the most serious voice, until Carly cuts across her.

"No, we didn't!"

"Oh, that's right, we learned nothing."

"We wasted your time!" Carly exclaims, with a smile on her face.

And as Carly and Sam say their goodbyes, and start to chant, for some unknown reason to me, I watch until, "And we are clear," I lower my camera, hand it to Brad, and as Carly and Sam high-five I say, "Good show. I liked the little improvy-thing."

Carly and Sam both says their thanks, and we all work towards each other, as Brad asks, "So, did I do okay?"

And this was the easiest iCarly I've ever had to shoot. I mean, Sam is good with technology, hence why she holds the remote, and not Carly, but she can't be both on-screen and off-screen simultaneously.

We all say our yeahs, and Sam takes a step towards Brad, pokes him in the shoulder, and says, "You sir, are an excellent assistant," and I look at her shocked, and Carly echoes my thoughts.

"And Sam doesn't give out a lot of compliments," Sam is leaning behind me, as I continue,

"Usually, it's insults, followed by beatings," I cross my arms over my new Penny Tee that reads, _Purple Jerk._

Sam returns to her position between me and Carly as Brad announces, "Well, I'm psyched to be working for you guys,"

Gibby, still sitting on the cow, now eating, interjects, "Hey, can I get the recipe for this tuna salad ball?"

"Absolutely," Brad agrees.

"Good, I love this," Gibby states, and I stifle a chuckle or two, then turn to Brad, "Hey, we should probably head over to my place, get some work done on our project,"

"Sure, let me grab my stuff," Brad says, walking over to pick up his items.

"Alright," I say, walking to gather up the few things that need to be brought back across the hall to my apartment.

Sam asks me, "What's your project?" which is a little weird, because quite frankly, Sam doesn't care about school, but since she asked me nicely, no nicknames or threats, I decide to answer.

"We're making an app for the PearPad."

"Moodface, right?" Carly asks.

"Uh-huh," I answer.

"You just stare at the PearPad's Camera for 5 seconds, and it will tell you what your mood is," Brad explains.

"Really?" Carly questions sounding interested.

"That's so cool!" Sam declares, and I shoot her another look, again, school projects not really her thing.

"Did you use chopped celery in this?" Gibby asks randomly.

"Red onion," Brad replies, seemingly adjusting to Gibby's randomness.

"Clever," Gibby nods, and continues to dig in to the salad ball.

Just before Brad and I are about to leave, Sam asks something, I never in my life thought I would hear her say, "Hey, can I work with you guys on your project?"

I'm shocked, stunned, and astounded, _where is Sam and what have you done with her?_ Goes through my mind, but I say, "You're asking if you can help us?

As she answers, "Yeah,"

"With a school project?" I question, incredulously. What the chiz is going on here?

"I think it sounds really interesting," Carly gives Sam a strange look as that sentence comes out of her mouth, she said interesting, not dorky, dweeb-like or nebbish. I take a few steps towards her, reach out my arm, and (from a safe distance, mind you,) squeeze her shoulder, feeling wisps of blonde curls underneath my fingers.

"Feels like Sam," I say, still confused about what is happening. I drop my arm, and Carly, grabs Sam's opposite shoulder, and places her face, very close to Sam's neck.

She takes a deep breath in, "Smells like Sam," she informs me, which means of course, the almost-but-not-quite-girly scent Sam has with a trace of whatever meat she's eaten last.

"Can I help with the project or what?" Sam rolls her eyes, but there's not a threatening tone at all, she sounds playful really.

Brad has been silent, he doesn't really know Sam as well as Carly and I do. "Sure, you can help," I agree finally, shrugging my shoulders at the weirdness of this whole situation.

"I'll bring the fudge," Brad announces, and Sam smiles at him, as well all start to leave the studio where we shoot our (pretty popular, if I do say so myself,) web show.

"I'll bring my mouth!" Sam replies, as she follows both of us out the glass door.

As we make the short trips across the hall to my apartment, I wonder why Sam is acting so odd, and I'm sure Carly's wondering the same thing as well. Sam doesn't usually volunteer to hang out with me sans Carly, and she never, ever, asks to help with schoolwork. There's got to be something more to this, something weird is going on here. And I'm going to find out what it is.

**A/N: SPOILER! **Oh, Freddie, if you only knew. You will indeed find out. I liked this because we never really get to see what's going on inside a characters head. And Nathan Kress' expressions in that scene are so amazing; he looks so utterly amazed that 'Sam' is offering help. Ah, I love it. This episode was amazing, pure joy, except for the cliff-hanger ending. SEDDIE FTW. _**Spoiler End**_ R&R!


	6. Weak

**A/N:** Not much to say about this. Different style, almost all about Sam, but this is obviously Seddie, quite obvious at the end.

**Weak**

_**~iDon't Want to Fight~**_

She knows he's right of course, and all the stress of the past few days is building up. She wants to cry, but she bites her lip and only one tear escapes. She wipes the tear away, before _he_ can see it. Of course, Carly picks out this, the one slip in her façade, this one moment of weakness, and she chooses to point it out. And she makes a jibe, targets Freddie, because that's what she knows how to do, and he makes a face at her, and soon, she's hugging her best friend. She realizes that he fixed this. Everything is going to be okay.

_**~iReunite With Missy~**_

This time he's the one shouting at her. Usually the roles are reversed, but she stays calm, the eye of the storm. She was so angry when she finally decided that this was the last straw and she so strong, but not strong enough to handle this by herself. When she finally had to admit, that for once in her life, she needed _him_ too. She needed help. And he shouts at her, and that's when her mask breaks. She leaves quickly, before he can see even one tear this time, and she doesn't return although she hears him call her name. She has no idea if this will turn out okay.

_**~iOwe You~**_

This time she can feel the tears coming, so she makes up a lie to get him out of the apartment. Carly asks about it, and then all of a sudden, she knows why Carly is her best friend, and she doesn't know why it matters so much to her, but she can't let _him_ see. The tears tracking down her face, the shoulder-shaking, racking sobs, and whines that are coming from her seem so foreign, and Carly is telling her that it doesn't have to be this way, and then Freddie's back, and he starts to shout, but she just lets out one long, big screech, and he's backing out of the apartment as quickly as possible into his own, so she still appears strong, when she is oh so weak. Carly assures her that everything will be okay.

_**~iQuit iCarly~**_

As her and Carly are both pulled into safety, and Freddie steps back from her, and Spencer hugs them both tightly, she's barely holding it back. Then either she or Carly (she doesn't really remember who, that whole night is kind of a blur) mentions something about not crying, and the other one mutters about being brave. Then both are in tears, and Spencer turns them towards each other, and she doesn't even care that _he_ can see it this time. Doesn't care this time, because even though he can feel his eyes on her and the girl across from her, all she wants is to hold onto Carly as tightly as possible and never let her best friend go, ever again. She wails, and apologizes and blubbers, and doesn't let Carly go for several minutes, this is the weakest, anyone has ever seen her, but now that her best friend is her best friend again, she knows it will be okay.

_**~iOMG~**_

This is the one time that _he_ doesn't do anything. Of course, at her weakest she's ever felt, because this whole night has just been awful. Carly doesn't understand, and won't listen, and now she finds out that he's been behind this too. It doesn't make sense, and she wishes she had never volunteered for this, wished that Freddie wasn't as smart as he was so his stupid app, wouldn't work. She's just taking the biggest risk of her life (but she was always the risk taker wasn't she?), and he doesn't do anything. He doesn't make a face, or try to argue with her, he doesn't scream, he doesn't run away, or even look at her really, he's kind of staring past her or even through her, and he doesn't say anything. More than anything in the world, she wants him to be the one to break the silence; she wants him to make the next move, because she for sure made the first one. And at that one moment where she needs him to be stronger than her, he isn't. She knows, as her heart starts to shatter into a million pieces, that if he doesn't do something soon, then she'll never be okay.

**A/N:** R&R


	7. TV

**A/N: **I swear, this is the last one-shot that will have anything to do with iOMG. Considering this is the third in the row. But still. I loved the episode, and refuse to write a conclusion (though I've been reading them like mad), instead I want to focus on what was going on inside the episode. This is just the whole end of the episode where Sam and Freddie stare at each other until the credits roll…. Sooooo hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>TV<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Oh. My. Gosh. That's what I was saying to myself, because quite frankly, my mother had gotten into my head, and I no longer think the words, oh my god. But still, the point is there. I'm standing frozen in place, mouth still open from my mid-sentence, arms thrown out to my sides as I had been gesturing, trying to get Sam to understand. I'm also cursing myself, even as we both mutter two short sentences too each, I'm cursing myself because the signs had been creeping up on me for awhile, and I had never even noticed it, and it had been right freakin' in front of me, this whole evening.

I am such an idiot.

I am a big idiot. I am a complete and total nub. We've both lapsed into silence – we're still looking at each, staring with an intensity that's never been there before, yet neither of us dares to break the silence again. I can't believe I've been so blind. Memories of the past week flash by at a slow pace, and I can tell, Sam doesn't want to be the one to speak up again, so we're stuck here's until I figure out what the hell is going on.

* * *

><p>It all started when we were watching TV, or maybe before, but I first noticed when we were watching TV, which is funny, because I'm thinking that our group of friends is starting to become quite the soap opera. Anyway, it all started when we were watching TV. Sam and I were waiting for Carly finish one of her famously long showers.<p>

"There's nothing on!" Sam complained, after flicking through several channels, then as she gave up, she did the unthinkable, "Here you go," she said, stretching out, so her feet were over my lap, as I half-heartedly tried to shove them off she handed me the remote control, "You pick something."

I hadn't even thought anything of it at the time, just accepted the admittedly random rare act of kindness from Sam. That should have been my first clue.

* * *

><p>My second clue was of course was her wanting to help with the project, that one was just so odd, but again, I just agreed that she could help us with our project. When I think back on it now, I realize that she had initially directed her questions at me, even though Brad had been right there, and he had answered them along with me. Sam had also called a creation of mine cool – um, shouldn't that have been a big sign right there?<p>

* * *

><p>The third clue was that flippin' movie. Brad had suggested that we catch a movie, since we deserved the break from all our hardwork, and Sam had asked if she could tag along. I had raised my eyebrow, and wondered about it, then shrugged and said as long as she paid she was welcome, even though it wasn't her type of movie.<p>

Sam had agreed. She had agreed to paying to something. Why did I not recognize any of this before? Plus, the movie was sci-fi, not horror, Sam's favorite genre. At the movies, although Sam did pay for her own ticket, she somehow managed to convince me to buy the extra large popcorn, and we would share. I had looked at her dubiously; Sam never shared anything, but purchased the overpriced deliciousness anyway.

Sam immediately claimed a seat beside me, digging into the popcorn, but she didn't drag the bucket out of my hands, or dump it on my head like she normally would have, and she was sharing. She let me eat some of the popcorn, without even a glare.

* * *

><p>As I go over the last few days in my head, I think I catch the most important clue. Though Sam had beaten me at arm restling, earlier, she hadn't done anything else to me that weak that would embarrass me. I think back to the classes we shared to the classes we shared, and then to iCarly rehearsal and to the actual show. I tried to remember the last time Sam called me a name. I couldn't.<p>

* * *

><p>Five, or maybe ten minutes ago, now, I'm not really sure, I had missed a big, flashing, green sign. I hadn't put much stock into what Sam had been saying then, because I just wanted to make sure that for once, I got a word in, for once I wanted my point to be made.<p>

"I'm not into Brad like that…" she had said, she hadn't said she wasn't in love, just not into Brad. Again, let me just say…

I am a complete moron!

Now, now, we're locked in this stalemate of sorts; neither one wanting to leave, neither one wanting to move, both of us wanting something said or done. Let me reiterate, that's I am well aware of the fact that in this game Sam and I play, it is now my move… but the thing is, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** R&R


	8. Trampoline

A/N: It's been too long. New Chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Trampoline<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I remembered the first time I felt this flip-flop in her belly that I now felt every time I looked at our tech producer. It's odd though, because I think that if I admit it, everyone will assume I started to… feel this way about him when they first kissed… but that's not true. It's really not, I had kissed him to get it over with and we had returned to hating, but not really hating each other. It was after our first kiss. No, the first time I felt this stomach flip flop, was when I had taught myself how to do a somersault on the trampoline I had bought using the money from the tip giver that allowed me to quit the job at Chili My Bowl.

* * *

><p>We had moved (at Spencer's insistence) the trampoline to her backyard, where it took up the majority of the over grown space. On the rare, sunny Seattle summer days, the three of us, me, Carly and the nub, would rush over to my house, and bounce on the trampoline because it was amazingly fun. "I bet I can do a somersault, on this." I said, "Get off," and I pushed Freddie violently and he fell off the trampoline, "I need lots of room."<p>

"Ouch," he whined.

"Sam, don't do this," Carly pleaded, from the lawn chair she had set up near the trampoline.

"You might hurt yourself," Freddie announced, picking himself up, "Or someone else, most likely me,"

I rolled my eyes and Freddie continued, "So you really shouldn't attempt this,"

"Don't tell me what to do Benson!" I shrieked bouncing higher and higher, then I quickly tucked my legs in and I'm moving forward and then suddenly gravity pulled me back and I landed on my butt, bouncing back up and down because of the momentum I had before.

Carly looked like she's trying to hide her laughter, but Freddie isn't at all, his face is turning red from his guffawing, what a dork. "I lied, do that again, it was hilarious," he choked out.

I snarled, leaping to my feet and off the trampoline, and towards Freddie. I went to grab him by the collar, but his most recent growth spurt prevented me from doing so, and I instead twist his arm behind his back painfully, and he cried out, "You have a death wish, dishrag?"

Freddie's eyes widened in fear and he whispered, "I take it back," I let go, and went back to bouncing on the trampoline, trying once again to get enough height and speed to do the 360 flip. After several more failed attempts, with both Carly and Fredbag giggling and then pretending not to laugh, I flopped onto my back on the trampoline, exhausted.

"Hey, Sam," Fredface began.

"Yeah?" I answered, lazily half-opening my eyes.

"I bet you, that you can't learn how to do a somersault on the trampoline in 3 days," he challenged.

"You're soooo on! Loser has to do the usual?"

"The usual." Freddifer agreed.

* * *

><p>I spent the majority of my free time bouncing on the trampoline in order to win the bet, I don't like to lose. I am stubborn if nothing else, and I just could not get the full 360 required for the somersault, I was so close though, and not about to lose to Fredweiner. Thinking about the dork, I decided to give it one last try before I turned in, barring the unforeseen rain storm, Carly and Freddie would be back over just after noon tomorrow to see my success, or failure as Freddie was no doubt hoping. My heart beat faster as I bounced up and down, up and down, up and down, and I flipped, head over heels and my stomach lurched in a the fun roller-coaster kind of way. I managed to land on my feet, with invisible-ninja like gracefulness (not) and was so proud of myself. I then went to bed sure; I would win the best the next morning.<p>

* * *

><p>I had slept fitfully, a thought I didn't know I had pushed my back in my mind trying to resurface. So, I rose a little early, to get some more practice in before Carls and the dweeb arrived. I jumped on the trampoline and the thought of Freddie losing plagued my mind, and successfully I somersaulted several times – by the time I had made the connection that that was odd, Carly and Freddie had arrived – they were both always early.<p>

"So, let's see Sam," Freddope spoke. I said nothing, just smirked at him, keeping him in my line of sight until I was upside down in the air, then I was back around again, landing on my feet.

"Wow." Carly said, clapping enthusiastically.

"Oh, no…" Freddie muttered.

"I win!" I screeched, happy that I had one, though when I looked at Freddie's crestfallen face, my stomach performed another joyful flip, one that had nothing to do with the somersault I just completed.

* * *

><p>So, when, and if, people find out that my stomach gets butterflies, and my palms get sweaty every time Freddie – of all people – compliments' me, or smiles in my direction, they'll assume it's because of the kiss. It's not though – it was after that thing which we shall not mention again, it's because of the fact that Freddie was the only one willing to challenge me, and bet me, even though he knows he's going to lose. Speaking of which – the nub wants to arm wrestle, he seems to think he can hold up longer than 3 seconds this time.<p>

* * *

><p>The End<p>

* * *

><p>AN: Ah. See, reference to iOMG. But not about iOMG. I like this. R&R.


	9. Tomboy

A/N: I wrote this on a Greyhound bus, back to university for my last two exams before I officially start summer - so I hope you enjoy. I probably should have been studying.

* * *

><p><strong>Tomboy<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

If you asked me to describe Samantha Joy Puckett in one sentence, I'd say it was impossible, or that she was impossible, one of those two options I'm sure. If you asked me to try and describe Samantha Joy Puckett I would probably say something along the lines of, "She's crazy, vicious, and abrasive and the most fiercely loyal friend I have." It's all true, but it's not what most people would use to describe her.

First, if you asked people to describe Samantha, they would probably say, "Who?" and you would have to clarify that you meant Sam, as she preferred to be called, then most of them would turn white with fear and refuse to say anything bad about her, and would lie about her being a great sort of person.

Now, there are a few people who would be able to give you good, honest sentences about Sam, and I'm one of them.

Another one of these people is Carly Shay, "Sam is wild, she's hilarious, she's my best friend in the entire world, and even though she can be a nightmare, I wouldn't change her for the world." That's true for Carly, they've been best friend since the tuna sandwich incident of Grade 5. The brunette loved the blonde and was almost maternal towards her, something Sam is desperately in need of.

If you asked Carly's older brother Spencer he'd say, "Sam is a handful, but she's a lot of fun, she's a smart girl, and I only wish she could see it," then he'd probably have to run off since he had set yet another random object on fire.

If you asked Gibby, he'd start by saying, "She once broke my thumbs, but it turns out she's actually okay and funny too."

If you asked Melanie, Sam's very own twin sister, who I didn't know existed until years (I thought that Sam had been playing a trick on me, well, that was cleared up eventually) after we had become friends with one another. She'd laugh as she said, "The complete opposite of me,"

Now, all of those are the people who have managed to get past the barriers Sam has put up, and as you can see, there are few of us. Me, Spencer, Gibby, Melanie and of course, Carly, who never really had to work too hard to get to see what took the rest of us, days, weeks, months and even years to see.

A common word would crop up, if you asked the kids at our school, Ridgeway, and the after-school hangout the Groovy Smoothie. That word is "tomboy."

I think I understand why the word is chosen, even if I don't agree with it. I mean, Sam doesn't exactly dress in skirts and fancy tops, and high heels. In fact, she prefers worn-out jeans, patterned tops, and colorful high-top sneakers. She wasn't one of those girls obsessed with straightening every strand of hair, and styling it, until it was perfectly in place, she preferred to pin half her hair back and let to rest of it flow wild and free down her back in golden spirals. She can throw a punch stronger than almost every guy at her school, and she doesn't back down from a fight, whether it's verbal of physical. Despite her petite frame, she's stronger than anyone I know, and the quickest with a comeback. So, I can see why they label her tomboy.

When all three of us, got into the filming auditions for the talent show, I had exclaimed something calling Sam a _that_.

"_She, Freddie, she, I'm a girl."_

She had told me, and the words always echoed in my head when I heard the whispers of the tomboy Sam Puckett. I mean, tomboy didn't seem to quite fit, if I was going to label Sam anything – and that was impossible, because it's pretty damn hard to label someone like Sam and she wouldn't like it if you did – I probably would have gone with demon, not tomboy.

Maybe they thought tomboy was less insulting, but it occurred to me, that it must suck getting called a tomboy when all you really wanted to be was one of the girls. After all, I am still teased for having two girls as my best friends getting called a pansy and the f word… no, not the bad four letter curse word, the three letter meaning not so into the ladies. So, though I usually have the good grace to ignore people who talk about me like that, I have been known to occasionally lose my temper, which is how I ended up with this black eye.

* * *

><p>I had been innocently gathering a few items from my locker, when I heard the telltale cheers of the boys by the stairwell, it was their "I'm talking degradingly about a girl, so you guys better listen and be jealous" type of cheer.<p>

"I'd hit that!" one of them said, rather loudly, and I suddenly found myself eavesdropping on their conversation.

" She'd break your arm before you got to first base!" My fists clenched as I realized who they were talking about, abrasive or not, Sam didn't deserve to be treated like a piece of meat.

"If she put some make-up on, and wore skirts that showed off her curves I might consider it," another guy commented.

Anger swelling, I closed my eyes and counted down from 5, to calm myself.

"She's a big tomboy, think maybe she bats for the other team?" the shortest of the crowd of guys asked.

They all laughed and shook their heads, "That would certainly explain why she hasn't agreed to go out with any of us."

"So…. Tomboy now equals lesbian?" I found myself saying, and standing in front of who appeared to be the leader of these imbeciles.

"Hey, if the shoe fits, you little pansy, I suppose that's why you two stick together even though you hate each other." He drew himself up to his full height, where he towered over me.

"Firstly, I am not a pansy. Secondly, Sam is not a lesbian, not that it would matter if she was. Thirdly, though you've all been calling her she, not one of you has acknowledged that Sam is a girl! Girl! She's a girl!" I absent-mindedly echoed what Sam had told me years before.

"So what, Benson? She's probably still a dy-"

"She isn't! Sam has a very good reason to reject all of you!" I shouted, swinging my arm around and pointing to each of the jerks in turn, "Maybe if you weren't such bullies and idiots she would have given one of you a chance!" Then I saw, big, big, guy pull his arm back and before I could raise my arms to defend myself, he had slugged me across the face. I fell to the floor, painfully, landing on my right shoulder. "Hey!" a new, and all-too-familiar voice joined the crowd, "Leave him alone!"

Sam pushed her way into the crowd, all 5' of her trembling with fury. "Listen to me, you dishrags. First, as Freddie has so kindly stated, I am a girl. But that doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you don't treat people the way they should be treated. Secondly, so what if I was gay? It shouldn't matter to any of you, I mean, I'm not, but why should you care anyway? Even if I was a gay man, none of you would ever have a chance with me, because I am way too good for you. Now, get out of here, before I beat you guys down!"

They all fled with their tails between their legs, and I remained on the floor, half in awe, and half in pain. Sam knelt down beside me, "Hey, dork, next time you try to be chivalrous, try it on someone your own size,"

I managed a weak grin, reaching up to touch my already darkening face, tenderly. "Not even a thank you?" I questioned.

"I think it's you who should be thanking me, I just saved your pathetic little life," Sam winced in sympathy and I prodded a particularly sore spot of my face, "Let's go to the nurse and get some ice on that, any reason for me to stay out of class."

* * *

><p>At the nurse's office, sitting on one of the two small beds, I held the bag of ice to my eye. "Does it upset you when people call you a tomboy?" I asked daringly.<p>

Sam shrugged, "They can think what they want of me, but sometimes I think I'd like their first thought to be "hey she's kind of pretty," or "she's really awesome looking – and has a wicked punch too." At the very least but that never happens. I mean, I like who I am, but as you said, I am definitely a girl."

"You are pretty." It's out of my mouth before I even realize I've said it, my free hand coming to cover my mouth seconds too late. I am now in fear for my life, who knows what Sam will do to me? I mean, I've always known she's pretty but I've never exactly told her, most of the time I was too distracted by my annoyance and frustration with her.

Sam glanced at me for a second, not sure what to make of what I just said, before she shakes her blond curls, and smiles at me, "See, like that, that wasn't so hard now was it?"

Again – describing Sam seems impossible, because she just keeps on doing the last thing I'm expecting her too. I was afraid for my life and she just smiled.

* * *

><p>AN: This totally didn't go in the direction i was planning for it to go... oh well. I actually liked where it did go, so I suppose all's well that ends well.


	10. Time

**A/N:** So this is an odd chapter. Spencer's POV, but it's more like the rare glimpses of Serious Spencer that we catch, rather than the absurdity that is Spencer himself - I'm not sure I have the ability to give the writers of iCarly, and of course the amazing acting of Jerry Trainor justice to that side of Spencer. Also, on a happy side note, my exam today was super easy, and my last one is tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>Time<strong>

**Spencer's POV**

"I just don't understand why they hate each other so much!" Carly reached a high pitch with her scream, and I flinched, my poor, troubled little sister. "I mean, Sam's my best friend, you know that, right?" and I nodded, figuring it would be best to save my advice for after Carls had calmed down a little, "And Freddie's a good guy – so why can't they just be friends? It's driving me crazy," she heaved a big sigh and flopped down on our couch.

I moved to sit beside her, and smiled, "I'm sure they'll become friends, you just need to give it some time."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it," Carly stared open-mouthed as she climbs down the stairs. "Sam went to apologize to Freddie – after she admitted she hasn't kissed anyone on our web show… I can't believe it… Spencer, does this mean they're friends?"<p>

"Do you think Sam would apologize if they weren't friends, kiddo?" and Carly shook her head, "I told you It would just take some time."

* * *

><p>"Freddie gave up his year- long school-at-sea cruise for Sam." Carly informed me nearly two years later.<p>

"He did?" I asked, only mildly surprised.

"Yeah, apparently Missy's not the person she used to be, and Freddie was protecting Sam – though he claimed he was just protecting iCarly,"

"I told you they'd end up friends," I remarked, glibly, after all, I had been right.

"I already knew they were friends, and so did Sam – I mean she has apologized to him after all," she paused, "It was about time Freddie admitted it though,"

"So, it took him a little more time," I announced, "Sometimes boys are slower than girls at this sort of thing."

* * *

><p>After I freed them from the duct-tape, Sam tore out of the room and up the stairs, locking herself in the bathroom, and Freddie fled to the safety of his apartment. "I still can't believe they kissed and didn't tell me about it!" Carly complained, "I tell them everything! And they both kept a huge secret from me!"<p>

"Carly," I began.

"I mean … why wouldn't they tell me?" she whined.

"Maybe because they thought you react like this?" I suggested, quietly, though my little sister still heard.

"What do you mean?" Carly questioned crossly, her eyes daring me to suggest something like she was jealous.

"Well, you did spazz out, a little, kiddo," I told her, "Sam and Freddie kissed because they didn't understand what the whole big deal was – then, when you find out you make this whole big deal about it, it's the last thing they wanted."

"I don't understand Spencer, why would you kiss someone if you didn't like them?" Carly asked another good question, "I don't care what those two say, no one ever kisses just to "get it over with", and I just don't get it." Carly motioned the air quotes when she said, "Get it over with."

"Maybe they don't know that they like each other yet," I hinted.

Carly laughed, "I don't believe it, they're way too different, complete opposites in every single way."

I raised an eyebrow, "Think of magnets – opposites attract now don't they? I bet if we give it enough time." Carly had protested then, and part of me thinks it's because she was scared of how her relationship with her two best friends would change, and partly because even though she didn't feel the same way Freddie did about her, she still was flattered by his constant affection.

* * *

><p>Lately, I had noticed the way Sam had been acting. Different, yet still herself, it was odd that she should want to see a movie with Brad and Freddie, and I let Carly know that I thought it was weird, she agreed. However, after my sister and I had eaten dinner, and I had been given a very vague run-down of what was going to happen Saturday night, Carly had announced she was going up to her room, to jot down a few new ideas for iCarly on her new pack of hot pink index cards.<p>

I flicked on the TV, though my mind was still on Sam and Freddie, and whispered as a commercial break ended and a show I liked came back on, "It's about damn time!"

* * *

><p>AN: I've always liked the idea of Spencer as a Seddieshipper. I don't know why exactly, maybe because he's older but he spends so much time with these kids that he can see things they don't realize yet. Maybe it's because Spencer has always been a support system for not only his little sister, but for Sam as well, and he want her to be happy. I don't know why, but I like it.


	11. Tiger

**A/N:** I've finished my first year of university, come home, and had a nice weekend off, before I start work I figured that I would write another chapter. I had a bit of a hard time, until I watched iDate a Bad Boy, yesterday. Enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Tiger<strong>

Freddie Benson was cleaning his room. He didn't know why he had put if off so long – and his mother had simply freaked out five minutes ago, when she had entered his room without knocking (_typical,_ he thinks of her behaviour) so now, Freddie was cleaning his room.

He couldn't deny that it needed to be done, there were papers strewn about his room, some from school, some from iCarly notes and some from things he had jotted down so he doesn't forget them and then loses them in his room anyway. There were cans of Peppy Cola and wrappers from Fat Cakes –less than half his own person stash since his mother doesn't keep anything delicious and unhealthy in the apartment, and more than half belonging to his blonde-headed, demon, frienemy Sam Puckett. He sighed, and started with the garbage, tossing the plastic wrappers and recycling the multiple cans. He piled the papers into a growing stack, intending to go through them so he wouldn't throw out anything important.

He vacuumed, and dusted and tidied, until his room was nearly spotless, he had even given the bathroom a good scrub. He was tired and hot, and was glad that he had saved an easy job for the last one before he could relax, check on the iCarly website, send an e-mail to my fellow AV club members and maybe read about the new Galaxy War movie that is supposed to be coming out soon. He sighs happily, thinking that this last part of cleaning would lead to the relaxing.

So, he picked up the stack of old notes, and started to sort through them one by one. The ones for new iCarly he put on top of his laptop – intending to type them up, save them, archive them up and back them up on his external hard drive. He threw away old school notes and things he didn't even know what he meant when he had written them down.

He found things that were not from him as well; a note from Carly, from the few days after the taco truck incident, and it broke his heart a little. The cast had been off for quite some time now, and she hasn't made a move, and Freddie's beginning to accept that it might not happen. His heart wrenches painfully, and he wonders what to do with the note that ends with _Love, Carly._

Freddie is well aware that Carly loves him, but it's not in the good way. She loves him like she loves Spencer, more than a friend and more like family than anything else. The same way she loves Sam, both of them her best friends, and considered pseudo-family, and while that still hurts Freddie slightly, he's beginning to see that Carly will never love him the way he wanted, and he thinks that he maybe finally, he can be okay with that.

So he stands up, and walks over to his closet, pulls a box off of the top shelf, and slides the note into the box, where he keeps photos of Carly, the signed pieces of his casts, and the memories of her and him for their short time together. He doesn't regret stopping things with them, and he doesn't regret the time they spent together either. He puts the lid back on the box, the box back on its shelf, and slides the closest door closed.

He then returned to his pile of notes and papers and continues to sort through them, when he pulls out a pad of yellow paper with blue lines on it. He glances at the messy scrawl on it, and recognizes it as Sam's. He reads a couple of the jot notes, and realizes that this is from the time she asked him to design her website, oh what a mess that had turned out to be, he remembers fondly.

He flipped the pages, almost absentmindedly, and stops when he sees the picture Sam had drawn. Freddie remembers what he said when he found it, _And what am I supposed to do with this drawing of me being attacked by a tiger? _Sam had replied in her usual fashion, _Nothing. I just got bored_; He has to admit the drawing is good.

The cartoon tiger is large and colored bright orange with black stripes. It is a detailed picture; the tiger has sharp claws on each paw and has the eerily accurate drawing of Freddie between four razor-looking fangs. Freddie notes with a slight grin that he's wearing a polo shirt, khakis and running shoes, and that there's a laptop flying through their air. The drawing-Freddie has his mouth opened in fear, and he knows that even if they painstaking neat printed capitals weren't labeling both him and the tiger he would've recognized himself in the picture.

Freddie doesn't really want to throw the picture out, though he has no problem trashing the note. This proves that Sam has talent; Freddie's always known she's talented. He hasn't always admitted it, but he's always known it.

Sam's funny, there's no doubt; it's just not the same web show without her. Carly's funny too. But together they are the best combination of hilarity. Sam is also the strongest girl – and possibly person – that Freddie notes. She's talented in that way too, always a quick-thinker, with both the comebacks and the physical fights. No one can pin her, and no one can stand up straight after she's slugged them across the face. But this here is a hidden talent. Sam's quite the artist, Freddie briefly wondered if Spencer had any idea.

So, still holding the picture, he pondered what to do with it. Then, he pulled out another box from beneath his bed; it's all the things Sam's ever given him – not counting wedgies. It's mostly threats she's jotted down in class and empty gum wrappers, finally the few birthday things she's given him. He picked up his latest birthday and opened it, shaking his head when he read the words: Happy birthday, I Hate You, Hate Sam. He folded the paper neatly, and slipped it inside the birthday card. He pushed the box back underneath his bed, promising that he'd show Sam's talent to someone when the time is right.

Freddie finished throwing the rest of his papers away, typed and backed up the stuff for iCarly, read the new information about Galaxy Wars movies, and then realized how late it was, and get ready for bed. He's lying in his bed, thinking about his two best friends, the blonde and the brunette. Right before he fell asleep, he briefly wondered if it means anything that the box for Carly, the girl he loves is hidden in a faraway place, but the box for Sam, the girl he hates is in arm's reach.

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><p><strong>AN:** Nothing really conclusive in this one-shot, except for Freddie dealing with his feelings for Carly – which is oddly not Seddie. Haha, still it's there. Hope you liked it! R&R!


	12. Thrill

**A/N: ** Goodness this is long. It's like 4 and a bit pages on Microsoft word. And it's a little over 2000 words. I had to do it that way though. This consists a future Sam and Freddie in an established relationship. Quite established.

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><p><strong>Thrill<strong>

**Sam's POV**

The glasses were clinked, and I saw the groom roll his eyes, before he leaned over and kissed his bride – me. It was a quick and well, quite chaste, kiss, but I still felt the sparks of being next to him, of touching him, and of course, of kissing him. Even after all these years. Who would have thought? Most people say the initial thrill ends, but that's not what I feel with Freddie.

I look around to see who had initiated that kiss (it's like the 4th one, and the appetizers haven't even been served, and I'm hungry), and my glare softens as I see a guilty-looking Carly Shay, sitting beside me. "Carlotta!" I scold her quietly, and she just grins before clinking the glass again, and soon everyone in the room is joining her.

"This is getting ridiculous," Freddie mutters, leaning towards me again.

"It's all Carly," I tell him, before I press my lips to his, again, quickly.

After I pull away, still feeling that tingly feeling I get from just being near Freddie, I steal Carly's silverware and place it on my lap. Then I look past Carly and down the head table, next to the oh-so-innocent-looking Carly Shay, is her older brother Spencer, who had given me away. The Shays were more like family, than my real family though in the later years of high school things had started to improve. Spencer looked good in his tux, and I was glad he had agreed to give me away when I had asked him.

Beside Spencer sits my perfect, twin sister, Melanie. She is disappointed that she wasn't asked to be the maid of honor. But I had more than one reason, first of all, I hated living in her shadow, and today was my day not hers, secondly, Carly was my best friend in the entire world, and I love her so much and she's done so much for me, thirdly, Carly, Freddie and I were all best friends, she meant just as much to him as she did to me. Melanie will have to settle for bridesmaid.

Beside Melanie at the end of my side of the table is my mother, already demanding her food (well that's like me) and demanding alcohol for free (even though we have an open bar so it's not like she'll pay anyway). I shake my head in disbelief. Our relationship may have improved in the later years that I was in high school, but my mom will never win the prize for Best Mom.

As our salads (that Freddie insisted we have because "not everyone eats a first, second, and third course of meat') our placed in front of us, I look over to my fiancé – wait, to my husband's side of the table. Freddie catches my eyes before I can look past him, and he placed a hand on my knee underneath the table, and the butterflies in my stomach do an excited dance, and I smiled at him.

On Freddie's left is his best man, Gibby. He's been a close friend of ours since high school, and I'm glad he agreed to be Freddie's best man, because originally Freddie had wanted to ask Spencer. Next to Gibby is his wife, Tasha, they were high school sweethearts as well, but since Freddie and I do everything in a backwards sort of way, they were married about a year and a half earlier than us. Next to Tasha sits Freddie's mom, Mrs. Benson – or Marissa as I've now been told to call her. At least she didn't ask me to call her Mother or something like that.

The glasses are clinked again, and I automatically glance toward Carly, who shrugs looking bewildered, after all, her silverware is still on my lap, and I realize she hasn't touched her salad because she doesn't have a fork. Freddie rolls his eyes again and sighs, "Is kissing me really that bad?" I asked, pretending to be hurt, because quite frankly, I'm a little annoyed, and still very hungry, it's hard to eat with all this kissing and kissing with your mouth full is never enjoyable, trust me.

"No, I love kissing you!" Freddie exclaims a little louder than he meant to, and there is an echo of laughter, as he turns red from embarrassment, I complete the stupid tradition so the annoying tinkling sound of metal on glass stops. Freddie squeezes my knee under the table, and I smile into the kiss.

As Freddie pulls away, he whispers, "I love you," and I laugh, "You're so cheesy."

Yet, I'm beginning to think that I'm the cheesy one here. After all, every time we kiss I still get the fireworks and the butterflies. It's always been that way. We shared our first kiss after all. Although it's probably not the romantic first date kiss you're thinking of.

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><p><em>It had all started with his laugh. It was his idea, though really, we had had the same idea at the same time. That laugh, almost a snort, was what had caused me to complete lose my head, or so I thought in the initial aftermath of what happened.<em>

"_What?" I asked._

"_Nothing, it's…" Freddie trailed off._

"_Tell me!" I had insisted._

"_Nah, it's dumb." He replied. I bit my lip to stop myself from saying "you're dumb," instead choosing to order him._

"_Say it!"_

"_Okay," he conceded, "I was just gonna say…"_

"_That we should kiss?" I finished the sentence for him._

"_You're gonna break my arm now right?" he questioned, a look of fear on his face. In normal circumstances that fear would be appropriate, but I had been feeling the same way Freddie had for awhile. Why were first kisses such a big deal anyway?_

"_No," I shook my head._

"_Well, should we? Just so both of us can get it over with?" he asked, less fearful and more nervous looking. _

"_Hmmm. Just to get it over with," because everyone knows that I don't want to have anything romantic happen with him. I mean, we're supposed to hate each other._

"_Just to get it over with…" He repeated._

_I moved to sit beside him, "And you swear that we both go right back to hating each other as soon as it's over,"_

"_Oh totally," he agreed, and I'm beginning to wonder if anyone else's first kisses had this much negotiation, he continued, "And we never tell anyone."_

"_Never," I agreed. Then we both fell silent, before I plucked up the courage and said, "Well, lean,"_

_Freddie let out a nervous sigh, then closed his eyes, leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. I was shocked, keeping my eyes open; I thought he would have chickened out. As we pulled away, and after a few short words and a weird departing sentence, I walked down the hallways back to Carly's apartment. I chalked the good, tingly, feeling I was having as a reaction to it being my first kiss._

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><p>"What are you thinking about?" Freddie asked me, shaking me out of my memory.<p>

"Meatballs," I replied instantly.

He laughed, "You're always thinking about food."

"Well, I'm hungry, salads are for losers." I noted, glancing at his empty plate, "Like you."

He placed a hand over his heart faux-shocked, "Well, you are now Mrs. Loser."

"No, no, no," I shook my head playfully, "You're Mr. Awesome, 'cause you married me, and I'm awesome."

Freddie laughed, "Oh, hey look, a course you will eat." The servers brought out a plate of spaghetti and ironically, meatballs.

"It's like our first date, all over again," I whispered.

"Except for all the extra people," Freddie says, "And also, now who's the cheesy one?"

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><p><em>I won't go into the details about how Freddie and I got together, because, well, it's complicated, and just a whole other story, but our first date is something else entirely. First, Freddie picked me up from Carly's apartment.<em>

_There was a knock on the door and Carly squealed, "It's Freddie!"_

"_Obviously, but why is he knocking?" I asked, trying not to bounce up and down from my excitement. _

"_Because he obviously wants to do the traditional first date thing, now answer the door!"_

"_Yes, because we are sooo traditional," I had laughed, and then went to open the door, "Hey, Fredwar-" I couldn't finish my sentence because my jaw had dropped. Freddie looked fantastic._

_He was wearing a dark set of jeans, and a black button down shirt, and I noticed he hadn't let his mother fluff his hair, which is good because I liked him just the way he was. "You look great, Sam!" he said, flashing a green at me._

"_You don't look so bad yourself, Benson," I managed to say. _

"_Ooooh! I have to get pictures!" Carly shrieked, and both Freddie and I winced at her high pitch._

"_Really, Carls? Photos?" I crossed my arms._

"_I promised Spencer!" she admitted, "Please?" She knew I couldn't say no, and I've always had a soft spot for Spencer, so I nodded. "Yay!" Carly cheered._

_Freddie looked shocked but pleased, and I stood next to Freddie, who hesitated before he wrapped his arm around my waist. I nearly jumped away as a jolt of electricity went through me. I automatically leaned my head against him and Freddie glanced down at me surprised, he must have smiled because Carly clicked the picture. "You guys are so adorable!" she announced. Freddie had ended up making me dinner and serving it to me on the fire escape - it was spaghetti and meatballs._

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><p>"Sam," Freddie's calling my name, and by the concerned look on the face it's not the first time.<p>

"Yes?" I ask, grinning.

"You're spacing out a lot today, are you okay?" he questions me.

"I'm fine, great actually, just reliving some happy memories," I tell him.

"About ham?" he jokes.

I start to answer, but the DJ is announcing that is time for the first dance, and I'm a little sad because I finished my dinner without even noticing it really, lost in my thoughts. But Freddie pulls me up, and onto the dance floor and I we sway in time to the music, I lean into him, and he has one hand wrapped tightly around my waist, and the other is grasping mine.

The music rises and falls in a steady rhythm around us, and my free hand lies on Freddie's chest feeling his heart beating. We spin in slow circles, and I was surprised but happy when I found out that Freddie was quite the dancer. I shiver with happiness, and start to remember our first dance.

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><p>"<em>I can't believe you want to dance," Freddie shook his head, "It just doesn't seem like you."<em>

_I had laughed then, and forced him to watch the video of me in the pageant. "I won you know…" I mentioned having not been properly congratulated at the time because of that stupid game he was playing with Spencer._

"_I know," he acknowledged, "I'm sorry I was such a jerk that night, can I make it up to you now?" he asked, clearing a space in the Shay's living room (Carly and Spencer had went to pick up ingredients for spaghetti tacos) and offering his hand to me._

_I blinked staring at it, hit hard by a thought I tried to suppress, however I took his hand and fell into step with him, but when he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer, I mumbled into his chest, "I saw you and Carly dance at the Groovy Smoothie." And it's like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel so good and so bad, because Freddie's still holding onto me, but he's not saying anything._

"_Sam, that dance was just with someone we didn't want to kill, our dates were both awful and Carly will always be a friend, she has always been a friend. I may have wanted something more – but… It wasn't meant to be, because you and me, we were meant to be." I smiled into his shirt, and held on a little tighter._

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><p>The song ends, but I don't want to let go of Freddie just yet, so instead I stood on my tip toes and whispered in his ear, "I haven't been thinking about ham, I've been thinking about you, and I love you, Fredward Benson."<p>

"And I love you too, Mrs. Samantha Benson." Then he leaned down and kissed me senseless, the same fireworks that have always been there erupting. Being with Freddie was always a thrill.

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><p>AN: I hope Sam's not too out of character. It's a special day. Hope you enjoyed R&R.


	13. Thoughts

A/N: This chapter is a shout-out and huge thank you to all of my faithful reviewers who have helped this fic get 50+ reviews. I really do appreciate it. I hope none of you mind that I used your usernames in this chapter. I'm also sorry that I didn't get a chance to use everyone's name. If I wanted this chapter to be 100 pages long I would.

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><p><strong>Thoughts<strong>

**Sam's POV**

"So, some iCarly viewers want us to each do separate interviews, and since we're both not doing anything right now and Carly won't be back for another 10 to fifteen minutes want to do yours?" Freddie asked quickly, and I looked up at him and nodded, afraid to open my mouth because everything has been so awkward lately, ever since I realized what was going with me.

"Let's go up to the studio," Freddie suggested and I stood and ran up the stairs and then collapsed into a bean bag, waiting for Freddie to set up his nerdy tech stuff. "Okay, I'm ready, are you all set? Comfy?"

"Yup, let's get this done Frederly!" I urged no need to spend more awkward moments alone, at least with this I could concentrate on stuff for our fans instead of on Freddie.

"In five, four, three, two," Freddie cued me, "It's Freddie Benson, here with our wonderfully dangerous co-host, Sam Puckett. Today, Sam's answering your question. Okay, so one of our fans, Geekquality wants to know what is your favorite color?"

"Brown," I answered automatically.

"Oh, she also wants to know: why is it your favorite color?" Freddie added.

"Because it's the color of gravy," I replied (because it's the color of your eyes).

Freddie laughed, "Alright, mirage888 wants to know what your favorite food is?" Freddie briefly turned the camera on himself, "The answer that question is everything,"

"Nyeeeh," I stuck my tongue out, "Actually, Fredward, it's a tie between meatballs, bacon, and ham,"

"Why?" Freddie questioned.

"Because meatballs are delicious with a meal and by themselves, there's all sorts of delicious types of bacon, and ham is just awesomely delicious," (because meatballs remind me of our kiss, because you gave me bacon one day, and because I love when you wear penny tees, especially the one that says Special Ham).

"DannySamLover20 asks: what's your favorite hobby?" Freddie continued.

"Eating," I said (staring at you, while I'm eating).

"Sam, eating is not a hobby," Freddie insisted, "What else?"

"Picking on Fredweiner," I declared, inspired.

"Once again, _why_?" Freddie repeated.

"Because I _love_ it," I drew out the word love, (because I love you).

"MaggieTheUnicorn wants to know if you were stranded on an island, who are the three people you would want with you and also why?"

I took a moment to think about that question, "Carly, because she's my best friend in the entire world, and I don't know what I would do without her," I paused, (that's true, all true), "Spencer, because he's always entertaining," (and I need some sort of adult supervision sometimes, especially on an island with no rules), "And Fredward, because I'm sure I'd be bored on the island, and if it's out of food I'm probably angry too, so I need to beat something up," (because I don't know what I'd do without Freddie either).

Freddie rolled his eyes as he read the next username, "SeddieFTW asks how long have you and Freddie known each other? What about you and Carly?"

"I've known Carly since fifth grade, and Freddie since sixth," (The best day of my life, when I met Carly, and two of the most important people I've ever met), I decided to ignore the username, because quite frankly, lately the word Seddie was sounding less stupid and quite nice.

"Alright, next question," Freddie announced, like we hadn't already been following a pattern, "Mz. Briar wants to know if you have had your first kiss," Freddie's voice cracked slightly, "yet, and…" he gulped, "With whom?"

"That's none of Mz. Briar's buidness now is it?" I sighed (besides you already know the answer).

"Okay, okay, icecoffee18 would like to know what your idea of a perfect date is." Freddie waved his hand for me to go on with the interview.

"It doesn't matter where the date is, as long as if involves some type of food, that I don't have to pay for." I smirked, (anyway, it's not the where I care about it's who I'm with).

"That's a good, sort of old-fashioned attitude," Freddie joked, "I mean the guy paying, not the food, hmm… let's see." Freddie stopped to scroll through the thousands of e-mails we get with questions directed at us, "Mm. Mystery asks a great question, how are you and Carly so funny?"

"How?" I repeated slightly confused.

"Yup, how," Freddie acknowledged.

"Um… genetics?" I proposed, "I mean, we're always laughing and joking with each other, and I suppose that we use each other to both improvise and bounce of ideas for skits and stuff. We're a team," (and as much as I hate to admit it, Freddie's a big part of the team too).

"Last Question, Sam," Freddie informed me, "Pielovingchick wants to know how long you've hated me."

"How long we've hated each other," I corrected, "Since we met in grade six." (for a brief period of time when we first met, then because you're an easy target we moved up a step, at one point I had to admit that I was your frienemy, lately we've been more friends than enemies, and recently, I've started to think I'm in love with you).

"And that's it, thanks for your question; hope this interview helped you learn a little more about the people behind iCarly!" Freddie stopped rolling, "And we're clear," at the same time that my phone beeped with a text message.

"Carly's on her way up," I grinned, "With smoothies."

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><p>AN: I dislike the ending of this… oh well, the rest of it, I'm really happy with. Again, sorry if you have reviewed and didn't get a shout-out. R&R!


	14. Third

A/N: Carly struggles with the idea of Sam and Freddie as a couple, but not because she's jealous.

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><p><strong>Third<strong>

**Carly POV**

I'm going to be happy for them. I'm going to be happy for them; at least, I'm going to try. It's not that I'm jealous (seriously, I'm not) I had my chance with Freddie and once I realized that I wasn't actually in love with him, I never felt romantically inclined towards him again. I love Freddie, and I love Sam and it's not that I don't want them to be together it's just that I'm worried.

I'm worried that they won't work out.

I'm worried that they'll leave me behind.

I'm worried that I'll become the third wheel.

I wonder how Sam felt when she had to put up with me and Freddie for that brief period of time.

She never complained, aloud, to me, anyway.

Then, I wonder if she liked Freddie even way back then. I feel bad, because I do want them to be together and preferably together forever, but I'm scared, because I don't want to be the single girl with the two best friends who are dating. I want to be, Sam, Freddie and Carly not Sam and Freddie with Carly. I don't want things to change.

So, when Sam comes running up to me, grinning from ear to ear, and saying that she didn't want to tell me, but now she does because she remembered no more secrets, I fear the worst. My fears are confirmed.

It's official, my two best friends (who are opposites, and "enemies") are dating. Then Sam notices me struggling to smile and she immediately asks me, "What's wrong?"

I bite my lips as tears start to fill up my eyes and Sam's wrapping me in a hug and whispering, "Oh, Carls, don't cry, just tell me,"

I can't help it, I burst into loud sobs, and start to mumble incomprehensible words between the sobs, "You… Freddie…me…third…don't…change…"

Sam looks at me confused, "I'm sorry Carly, I didn't quite catch that."

I take a deep shuddering breath and try again, "I want you and Freddie to be happy. I want to be happy for you. But I don't want things to change. I don't want to be the third wheel. I don't want to be left out. I don't want to lose you to Freddie and I don't want to lose Freddie to you."

"Oh, Carly," Sam smiles at me, "Listen to me kid, you're my best friend in the whole wide world, and I love you, okay? I'm not going to ditch you because I just might love Freddie too. Freddie's not going to leave either. We're still your best friends first. We will never leave you out. I need you in my life more than you know."

I wipe my eyes and sniffle I'm so touched by what Sam said about I barely register that she just admitted she loved Freddie, "But, what if you guys break up? What will happen to us then? What will happen to iCarly?"

"Carls, calm down," Sam continues, "Freddie and I talked about this-"

"You guys talked about breaking up?" I interrupt.

"Sort of, we decided that we should always be, and this is killing me to say this, but, we should always be friends first, and nothing is going to come between us. We might fight – but heck, we fight all the time now, and so what's really the huge difference?" Sam finishes.

"I am happy for you Sam. You do deserve the nicest guy there is, and Freddie's got to be the nicest guy I know. If he ever hurts you, he's in trouble… and vice versa," I decide.

"Carly, I can take care of myself, Freddie on the other hand, he needs some help." Sam jokes, then becomes serious again, "Tell me if you ever feel like a third wheel, please, I'll stop it. I don't want you to feel awkward around me and Freddie, because I'm just as scared as you are, and I need my best friend."

Suddenly I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I'm smiling from ear to ear because no matter what, I now feel assured, that I will always be in Sam's life. "Sam, let's go grab a smoothie."

"Just you and me?" She asks, and I shake my head.

"Nope, go ask your boyfriend too. I'm just going to wash my face; I'll meet you outside Freddie's apartment."

"He is not my boyfriend," Sam declares, and then I raise my eyebrows, and she sighs, "Fine. I'll go get him. You okay Carls?"

"I'm fine now. You're my best friend and I love you, you know that right?"

"Right back at you Carls and that's something that you can be sure will never change."

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><p>AN: oh, it's so fluffy. But it's not even Seddie fluff. It's just Carly and Sam friendship fluff.


	15. Theme Song

**A/N:** Another update! Yay! From Freddie's POV, and since Carly and Sam had their bonding moment, I decided that Spencer and Freddie needed a moment too. Also the song I used will be obviously recognizable to those who have read my story Seddie'sOnARockettotheMoon. There's a whole chapter dedicated to that song there, but it just fit so well with this prompt that I couldn't pass up using it again.

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><p><strong>Theme Song<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I groaned as I rubbed the back of my head, and struggled to stand, "She's killing me." I muttered mostly to myself though Spencer heard me.

"I think there's a song about that," he stated, "Wish I could remember who sang it."

"Yes, okay, well, now that we've established that the real problem is not how I survive while dating Sam Puckett – who I am crazy enough to love apparently – the real problem is who sang one of several million songs that reminds you of me and Sam, of course." I complained, collapsing onto the Shay's couch.

"What did you even say?" Spencer asked curiously.

"Um…" I rubbed the back of my head again, and vaguely wondering if had received a concussion, "I was talking about the new girl who joined the AV club."

"Was it Cuttlefish? No…" Spencer continued on his train of thought about the song by the band he couldn't remember, astonishing me with his ability to hold to separate conversations at once, "New girl huh? Maybe Sam's jealous."

"Jealous? Why?" I might have been able to process things better if I hadn't just been thrown to the floor and knocked my head against it.

"Because you said this girl is in the AV club –Maybe it was Red Month - the first girl in the AV club if I'm not mistaken." Spencer explained, sort of.

"Well, yeah," I replied, "No girl has ever been in the AV club before; none of them were ever interested."

"I think that Sam feels a little threatened, a girl who's into the same kinds of things as you, I think Socko remembers which band this is, I'll text him." Spencer went on, pacing in front of me.

"She feels threatened?" I asked shaking my head in disbelief, "Like scared she's going to lose me Aurora?"

"Her name's Aurora?" Spencer questioned half-heartedly, "And yeah she probably is. Sam loves you Freddie but she's also scared. You being with her is one of her few insecurities. Maybe because you took so long to tell her you felt the same way," he said pointedly.

"Okay, okay, I get it, but what am I supposed to do, not tell her the girl joined AV club?" I pinched the bridge of my nose frustrated.

"C'mon Socko, text back buddy," Spencer looked up at me, "Just remind Sam that's she's the only girl for you, and that no one, not even a fellow-geek of the female variety will ever change that. Oh, and tell her she's beautiful, that always helps."

"Being Sam's boyfriend is hard work," I muttered, "First if I treat her two girly she complains and slaps me, then when I am trying to fill her in on my day, she goes all girly on me,"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't want to have it any other way would you?" Spencer smirked, then frowned, "That's another set of lyrics from that stupid song."

"Of course, I don't want Sam to change for anything. I love her just the way she is." I explained, unnecessarily, everyone is well aware of that, though it seems Sam herself might need to be reminded of it.

Suddenly a ringtone blared from Spencer's phone and he jumped about ten feet in the air, before looking at the text, "A ROCKET TO THE MOON!" he shouted and ran to load Zaplook. He typed in the search, She's Killing Me, by a Rocket to The Moon. And soon the whole loft was filled with music.

We listened in silence for a few minutes and then Spencer smiled at me, "See told you it was a song."

A few of lyrics stick with me as I enjoyed the song, _Even though it hurts, she's my favorite pain._ I had to smile at that, gingerly feeling the already-forming bump on the back of my head, _she drives me crazy, _well, that's certainly the truth._ She's like a dream and a nightmare coming true_, both my friend and worst enemy all rolled up into one. _So I went out and bought her roses. She complained about the thorns._ That certainly sounds like something Sam would do, if I ever got her flowers, which I might have to since I know I now have to apologize._ I love her half to death, but she's killing me._

"You know, this song really reminds me of you guys," Spencer turned to face me on the couch, but I'm already halfway out the door by this time.

"Spence," I glanced back at him quickly, "That tune could be our theme song."

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><p><strong>AN: ** I hope that you enjoyed that and I did Spencer justice. I tried to have some funny moments in here too. I love that he knows the kids so well too. R&R!


	16. Text

**AN: **I think this is so cute. I hope you will too.

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><p><strong>Text<strong>

Fifty percent of the time Sam couldn't understand why she was in love with Fredward Benson. He irritated her, was a huge dork, constantly argued with her, and was quickly becoming a threat in their wrestling matches (unlike the days when even Carly could pin him and all she had felt was hate). She is constantly angry at him for one reason or the other, usually because he was nudging her towards the right path, and she hated that she was starting to choose the right path all by herself now.

Forty percent of the time she enjoyed being his girlfriend. She loved hanging out with Freddie and Carly, almost the same as it was before, except now, Freddie would hug her or kiss her cheek for no reason at all. Carly called them adorable, and Sam grimaced because she didn't think that world applied to her and Freddie at all, yet she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face after he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her waist when he was standing behind her. They shared many laughs and created many memories, both by themselves and with Carly, who they both needed in their life so much. She liked that now the wrestling matches ended with kisses and the arguments with hugs, so dating the big geek was not that bad.

Seven percent of the time he turned her into a flippin' girl, she hated that about him. Sam hated how her heart beat faster at the sound of his voice. Hated how her stomach flipped nauseously every time he saw her. Hated how for their first ever date she had ran to Carly in a fit of nerves exclaiming that she didn't know what to wear or how to do her hair. Carly had laughed then saying, "Just be yourself,"

Three percent of her loved the little things he did for her. She liked that he treated her like a princess, even enjoyed that sometimes in private he called her princess affectionately. She loved that he held car and building doors open for her, though she was fully capable of doing that herself. She adored that he always thought of news ways to keep her entertained, and that sometimes he just brought her a bag of meat of some sort. Perhaps the best things were the random text messages she would receive from him. They saw so much of each other, at school, after school, at Carly's, at the Groovy Smoothie, doing the web show, after the web show, out on dates, that they rarely felt the need to text each other, but still every once in awhile she would hear the _beep beep_ of her phone and was always pleasantly surprised. She never texted him though Sam always replied.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

Scored two tickets the next MMA match, let's sneak out and watch it.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy (she would kill him if she knew that's what his phone read when she texted him)<p>

No chiz. See you in the lobby at 8pm, Saturday.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

I know it's early and you're probably asleep but I just wanted to let you know, I can't get you out of my head and I wouldn't change that for anything.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

Queen of dorks: That text needed a Caution: Sappiness sign (but I wouldn't change you either)

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

Just discovered a little restaurant I think you'll love.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

You better be paying.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

Puckett! You better not have set up that trip wire in front of the Carly's door.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

Whoops! Set that up for Gibby or Spencer.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

I hate it when we have real fights. Come back and punch me, I deserve it.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

Yeah, you do.

To: Princess Puckett  
>From: Fredalupe<p>

I'm so sorry. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

I suppose I can.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

I missed you at school today, are you alright?

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

I'm fine, it's just a cold.

To: Princess Puckett  
>From: Fredalupe<p>

I'll be right over, Princess.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

Bring Soup.

* * *

><p>To: Princess Puckett<br>From: Fredalupe

Sam Puckett, you drive me crazy, but I love you with all my heart.

To: Freddie  
>From: Sammy<p>

Freddie, you're such a dweeb, and I don't know why, but I love you too.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please R&R!**


	17. Test

**A/N: I love writing Freddie's POV. Enjoy this.**

* * *

><p><strong>Test<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Sam had always tested me. I hadn't realized it was a test when Sam, Carly and I had just started hanging out but she had. The constant stream of insults to which I only complained but never fought back to, those were her quizzes. I used to fail miserable, and for someone who's always been a straight A student, failing is not an option.

Then I started to fight back, and at the end of our arguments Sam always has a smirk on her face – but it's not the normal type of smirk, it was almost like she was proud of that last retort that I got in. Then the physical fights. Sam always won. Always. She's so strong for her tiny frame, and at first, I just let her pin me, then along with a couple of growth spurts to help, I started fighting back. I gained some ground then, not much but a tiny bit.

* * *

><p>Sam was always testing my limits, seeing how much she could get away with before I snapped. She taught me how to stand up for myself, both mentally and physically, and I'm not even sure she realizes that she did it. She was a good teacher too. I learned how to defend myself physically, and started to think more quickly on my feet in arguments. It wasn't so often that I was teased now – except by her of course.<p>

Then her teasing tone changed with the years, where it was once meant with a full on venom, it became almost affectionate, and somehow I began to admire the creative nicknames she came up with for me. Then just when I was starting to think I had my head wrapped around the complicatedness that is Sam Puckett, she went all unpredictable on me.

* * *

><p>She stopped the fighting all together. She didn't insult me, or make a jab, not even when I provoked her. She would just fall silent and shrug her shoulders, then try and change the subject. We stopped the wrestling, and therefore I stopped losing, but I found myself going out of the way to touch her. Challenging her to arm wrestling, that I knew I would lose (but hey, look who broke his record). Once, I even went so far as to reach out and squeeze her shoulder lightly. She didn't flip me like she should have. Once again, Sam Puckett was testing me.<p>

The really big test after that came on the night of the lock-in, when Sam planted a big kiss on me, then apologized and waited for me to say something more useful then it's cool. And that's when I finally managed to turn my huge "oh, how come I didn't see that coming F" to a "well, now that makes so much more sense, A".

* * *

><p>Then we started dating, and Sam fell back into the pattern with the nicknames (though they became endearing to me) and the insults and the wrestling. Except that's when I learned she was ticklish and I started to win some fights, though only because it made her laugh and pretty much lose control of her limbs. I may actually have been more injuries when I was tickling her, and she had kicked me, then when she used me as a punching bag.<p>

Sam was finally letting me crack down her inner walls to get to her heart, and I gave mine to her in return. I continued to learn more and more things about her, and she continued to test me. Once, by proving Melanie was real. Sam had told me to meet her (yes told not asked) at the Groovy Smoothie for 5pm, and I did. Or so I thought. I sat down across from a curly blonde hair girl and we started talking, but quickly, I realized something was off – this was just another test, this girl could not possibly be Sam. "Melanie?" I had asked in a quiet voice, and she had broken out into a large grin, "It's good to see you too Freddie," then at the table two away from us, a young woman pulled off her sunglasses, and pulled off a short spiky red wig, shaking out an identical set of blonde curls.

"Sam…" I spoke so softly, I wasn't even sure she had heard me, "You let me believe I was right?" I then asked incredulously. She nodded, flashing a grin, and sat beside me, intertwining her fingers with mine under the table, "You won our bet."

"What bet?" I asked, a little confused, well, it's understandable, and Sam and I have bets on everything. Sometimes more than one a day, and just like everything else in our lives I almost always lose.

"That you know me better than anyone else, except maybe Carly," she quoted me from a conversation earlier in the week. "Every other person in this building that "knows" Sam has come up and said hi to her, and chatted for a few minutes. No one else knows about Melanie except for Carly and Spencer, but still, clearly the kids at school don't know it's not me, even though not one death threat left my lips. Yet, it only took you ten seconds. I was waiting for you to kiss her or something."

"I've never kissed her!" I immediately defend myself, "Although, now that I actually know she exists, I guess she did kiss me, but there was no kissing back, right Melanie?"

"Right," Melanie agreed, "He was head over heels for you even back then."

That I protested but stopped weakly after Sam and Melanie had started arguing about how that could or could not possibly be true. A smile lit up my face as I realized, not only had I won our best, I had passed this test with flying colours.

* * *

><p>The latest test came a week before Carly and I were to move into our doors, when Sam was helping both me and Carly pack up for college. Carly had burst into tears more than once, and when we filmed the last iCarly, even Sam had shed a couple of tears. So, right now, we were sitting on the Shay's couch, just the three of us for awhile, I had my arm wrapped around Sam and she was leaning against me, Carly had her feet stretched over Sam's legs and into my lap. "I'm going to miss this you know," Carly said, her voice breaking, though she was too cried out to burst into tears again. "I love you both, you know that right?"<p>

"I love you too Carls." I replied, meaning it in an all together different way than when I used to proclaim my love to her.

Sam engulfed her into another hug, practically leaping out of my arms and on top of Carly. "I love you so much." She said into Carly's shoulder. It took me a moment to realize that Sam was actually the one in tears now.

She stood up shakily, trying to wipe away the evidence but it was too late, "I'm going to see the world." Sam informed us, a smile behind her tears, "I actually saved up some of my money, and I have enough to travel to Europe anyway, then I'm going to come back here for Christmas."

Carly answered, "You're always welcome here, Sam," fresh tears forming at the sight of Sam's, heck, even I was feeling pretty choked up.

"Listen," Sam turned to me, "Freddie," she paused, and I knew the real name, my name, was a sign that she was being serious, "I know this probably means that we won't see each other for a couple of months so if you want to break up and live the bachelor's life at college you're welcome to."

For how calmly she said, and with the last of the tears being wiped away, I thought she was breaking up with me, but then I went over her words in my head. I vaulted up from the couch and shouted, quite unnecessarily, "That's the last thing in the world I want Sam!"

Sam had raised her eyebrows, a smile starting to creep onto her face, and Carly had laughed because Sam for once had been calm and it was me shouting like a maniac. "I don't want a life without you!" I exclaimed, though my voice dropped to a much more normal level.

Carly quietly whispered, "Awwwww" in the background.

"I'll love you when you come back, and I'll love you so much while you're away. I'm going to miss your craziness and life with you in general, but I can see how much you want to do this, and I know that following your dreams is important. Christmas will be extra special for us."

Carly stood then and with both hands, gently shoved Sam into my arms, winking at me as she then slipped quietly upstairs. Sam had finally had her break down, and she had been through mine with me, and Carly and I for Carly's many. But she herself hadn't cracked until now. Sam is the strongest person I know, but even the strongest people have their weak moments.

Wrapping my arms around her tightly, and holding her to me, was me passing my last test. She tried not to burst into tears again, but it wasn't really working out for her. She had never really cried in front of me, except for that life or death situation. So this, this was Sam letting me all the way in, and this was my way of letting her know, that whatever tests she threw at me, no matter how long it took, I would always pass.

* * *

><p>AN: Aw. I found this oddly funny for a chapter, but still very sweet. Every time I read the line Freddie shouts I giggle. I was at my old high schools Arts Night last night (I graduated last year). Those of us who were huge band geeks always broke down at the end of our grade 12 night. So seeing this years graduates brought me back to last year when everyone was always scared of going separate way. Hope you enjoyed.


	18. Summer

**A/N**: Haha. Please remember I am a girl, as you read this. I hope I did Freddie justice. Set during the very beginning of iBeat the Heat.

* * *

><p><strong>Summer<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

It's so gosh darn hot. The temperature in the room just keeps climbing, literally. I have my laptop open on my lap though and I'm watching the temperature rise by degree. The added heat from my laptop is making me seriously consider dumping it on the floor, though I don't. Really Seattle? Most of the time you're dreary, raining and depressing but this sunny day they can't even enjoy because it's so hot.

She barges into the apartment, as usual, and makes a beeline straight to the fridge and though I wasn't looking at her when she came in, I did turn towards her as I heard the freezer open and was only slightly surprised when Sam's body was halfway in there.

I smile, and then my jaw drops, as I realize I'm absolutely staring at Sam's butt. Her cute, yet oddly ham shaped butt. I try to look away, but I mean, c'mon, despite Sam's jokes I am a guy. And she is wearing some very, very short jean shorts, and that leaves her legs bare, and quite enticing. I trail my eyes back up, past those shorts (if they can even be called that), and see that her layered tank tops have ridden up, exposing a strip of white flesh on the small of her back and then it's the blonde tendrils of soft-looking hair that are falling down to where the shirt has ridden up.

Briefly, the logical part of my mind wonders why she would wear her hair down if she was so hot, because it seems like there is so much hair that it must keep the heat trapped in. Before the purely boy part of mind goes back to checking her out. I'm glad Carly is so confused by Sam's actions that she is staring at her as well.

I continue to stare until Carly asks her something the along the lines of, "what the heck are you doing?" and I answer with snark, and as Sam pulls her head out of the freezer I notice, correctly. She turns to face us, crusts of frozen pizza still in her mouth, and I take this moment to shake my head, and clear it, before glancing back at the two girls who are my friends (and one of whom is my enemy) and for the first time I see both of them as beautiful.

Carly with her pale pink top and dark hair and deep brown eyes. I've always thought she was gorgeous. Just because I've stopped asking her out everyday doesn't mean that I can't appreciate that she's a good looking girl.

Then there's Sam in her dark tank top, with her pale hair, and piercing blue eyes, and it's like I'm looking at her in a whole different light. I've never even entertained the thought of us dating. I've always been more scared of surviving when Sam's around, so I never really had time for those thoughts. But at this moment I cannot deny that Sam isn't beautiful. I can hardly believe I've not noticed it during the years even as she was beating me up I failed to notice that Sam too is stunning.

I shake my head one more time as I curse for myself first for even checking my best friends out. I'm usually not a pig, and then for comparing Sam and Carly. They are two very different girls, with very different personalities, each has positive and negative about them (though Sam has many more negatives) but they shouldn't be compared. Especially not by me who know them better than best, and can easily see them as the individuals as they are.

I blame this heat for this shameful moment, yet I'm thanking Gosh for this summer heat wave, that let me have a peek at what Sam normally keeps hidden.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm hoping Freddie justified himself a bit at the end there. I mean, he's such a nice guy, but hey, he is still a guy and sometimes guys can be pigs like that. In defense to any guy readers, all my guy friends are usually very awesome and I love them to pieces, soooo please don't read too much into this. Freddie's also a teenager.


	19. Stuffed Animal

**A/N: Set sometime between iThink They Kissed and iOMG**

* * *

><p><strong>Stuffed Animal<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Sam's urgency was apparent as she trampled down the stairs, practically screaming, and "Carly! Carly! Carly!" over and over again until she reached the bottom of the stairs, then facing Carly and noticing me she motioned Carly over, and whispered something, but Carly repeated it, loud and shocked.

"Oh no! You can't find Ricardo?"

Sam glared at her for a second before rolling her eyes in my direction, and Carly let out a small "Oops."

"Who's Ricardo?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Ricardo is," Carly began.

"No one you need to know!" Sam cut her off quickly.

I frowned, and rolled my eyes slightly, before wondering if I could get them to tell me anything. Sometimes girls could be so secretive. Oh, there's an idea now.

"I thought we said no more secrets?" I aimed my question towards Carly.

Carly opened her mouth to answer, but Sam placed her hand over Carly's mouth and stated, "No, the deal was that me and you, Fredbag, don't keep secrets for Carls." Carly is struggling against Sam's hand, but Sam isn't letting up.

"No, actually I believed that we agreed, from now on we all tell each other everything," I insisted and Sam's eyes widened as if she was recalling the moment.

She glanced back at Carly who is now nodding her head slowly, and then Carly finally pries Sam's hand away. "He's right, Sam, besides he won't tell anyone."

Sam shouted angrily, "FINE!" then threw herself onto the Shay's couch, burying her face in the pillows.

"So… who's Ricardo?" I tried again, and Sam answered though it was incomprehensible since she was talking to pillow and not me.

"She said she doesn't want to tell you who Ricardo is," Carly translated, "So, I will. Ricardo is Sam's childhood stuffed elephant."

I smiled slightly knowing why Sam didn't want me to find out now, she was embarrassed, well, serves her right, she's embarrassed me plenty of times before. "And he's missing?"

Carly nodded, "Apparently."

Sam mumbled some more into the pillow and let out a frustrated sounding scream at the end of her sentence (or at least I presume that it was the end of sentence, I don't really know).

"I'm sure we'll find him Sam," Carly said, leaning over the back of the couch to rub Sam's back comfortingly.

"What did she say?" I said, astounded that Carly had no trouble understanding Sam's muffled speech.

"Oh, she doesn't think she left him at home, but she can't find him here and she spent the night here last night." Carly explained.

Sam sat up slowly, and crossed her arms in front of her chest doing her best to look angry and not just upset. I warily take a seat on the other side of the couch and smile reassuringly at her, "It's okay to have a childhood comfort Sam, I still have my nightlight, I don't use it anymore, but t I have it. "

"That's not a secret, Benson," she muttered.

"Well, I don't think I have any secrets from you two," I answered back."

"Actually," Carly said, surprising me, "You have a pretty big one, Freddie."

"I do?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Now Sam was pretending not to look interested, but she mumbled, "No more secretes, means no more secrets, right Carls?"

Carly nodded and glanced at me, as I struggled to remember anything I had kept from Sam. Then as I went back through the years in my head, I caught a glimpse of red hair. "Oh…" I said quietly, "You don't mean?"

"I do," Carly said, "I never should've kept it from Sam in the first place,"

"Wait," Sam interrupted, "You two have a secret that I don't know? How is that fair?"

"Well, I kinda forgot about it," I half-heartedly mentioned.

"I didn't, and I'm so sorry Sam, I never realized I forced you to give up your secrets when I was hiding one of my own," Carly collapsed between me and Sam.

"So, what is it Fredlumps?" Sam asked, appearing to ignore Carly's apology.

I spoke so quietly, that I doubted Sam had even heard, yet I still said the words, "I won the School-At-Sea Scholarship and gave it to Missy."

Sam had heard me, she glanced at me opened mouth and eyes wide, blinking slowly, "You gave up the sea school thingy?"

I nodded, and Carly backed me up, "He did, he really did,"

"… Wow, Freddie… I can't believe you would do something like that," Sam paused, "For me." She paused again, "Thanks…"

"Yeah, well," I so cleverly said.

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I'm still slightly stunned by this information that has been revealed. I am shocked, and a little bit honored that Freddie gave up something he really wanted… for me, no less.

I was also confused at how what was supposed to be an after rehearsal snack has become a confession for the three of us. I knew that Freddie was feeling, he hadn't wanted to tell me something because he thought it might hurt our friendship, the one between the three of us, not just me and him, but he wasn't the only one with a secret now was he?

"I guess it's my turn," I took a deep breath, preparing what I was going to say, and turning to face both Carly and Freddie, "I saw you two dancing at the Groovy Smoothie."

Carly remembered the day and then shrugged her shoulders, and Freddie flushed and smiled slightly, "We both had awful dates, I just thought we deserved one dance where we didn't want to kill anyone."

"Austin was so terrible, he kept interrupting me and ugh, I was so angry that I yelled at him," Carly informed me, though I had already heard this part of the story, but she had left out the part of dancing with Freddie. "Why didn't you tell us you saw?"

I started to speak then, trying to form a sentence, preparing to tell the both of them my biggest secrets, no matter the consequences. Tell them why I didn't announce myself; tell them all the reasons behind the foreign bacon incident, etc.

When the door burst open revealing Carly's 6-foot insane older brother, Spencer, "LOOK WHAT I FOUND!" he said, holding out his hand.

In his hand was a small grayish-blue, stuffed elephant with big plastic eyes, with painted black pupils and purple irises. "Ricardo!" I shouted almost gleefully.

"Is that his name?" Spencer asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Carly said, "Where did you find him?"

"In the stair well," Spencer was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, like a 5-year-old boy.

"He belongs to Sam," Freddie finally announced.

"Oh," Spencer pouted handing my plushy toy back to me. I could hardly believe a stuffed animal had led to me almost pouring my heart out.

I took the toy and ran upstairs to Carly's room, but before I got all the way up, I heard Spencer whine, "But I wanted to keep Ricardo!"

**A/N:** Originally Sam's stuffed animal was a going to be a pig. But I remembered the spokesperson for the bacons of the world. Plus elephants are my favourite animal. Also, kudos to anyone who know why I called the stuffed animal Ricardo. I've been wanting to do a secret exposing one shot ever since iSpeed Date, because obviously someone is still keeping a secret (cough, Sam, cough). R&R!


	20. Stressed

A/N: Okay, so this chapter is FLUFF city. I love it though. I really like what it deals with, and how much it deals with. There's lot of character involved too. Spencer, Carly, Mrs. Benson, of course Sam and Freddie etc. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Stressed<strong>

For as long as he could remember Freddie Benson had known that when he grew up he wanted a family. A whole family, he used to tell himself, one with a mom and a dad, and a baby. He told his mother this one day, and she reminded him that they were a family (though it was just him and her) and that there were all sorts of different families. Freddie didn't give up though. He often told his mom how many children he and his future wife were going to have, though the numbers changed frequently and drastically.

Marissa Benson had smiled at her son each time it was announced and reminded Freddie each time that families were different and that having children would be incredibly stressful, but it was also the greatest joy in the world, and she sincerely hoped that her Fredward's wishes all came true.

* * *

><p>Then the day came where Freddie announced who his future wife would be. It was the summer before sixth grade and they had just moved into the apartment building, when he saw her. Dark, dark hair, big brown eyes, she had to be the prettiest girl he had ever seen. He found out her name was Carly and he thought that was the most beautiful name he had ever heard.<p>

"Mom," he informed his mother, "I'm going to marry Carly someday, I love her."

And Mrs. Benson didn't like the fact that her son already had his life planned out, and she'll admit it, she loves Freddie so much that she doesn't want to let him go. Besides he's too young to know what true love is anyway. Even so, Mrs. Benson is just as crushed as Freddie every time he hears Carly's rejection. All she wants is for Freddie to be happy and safe, and with the Shay's across the hall, she doesn't think he'll ever be in more danger (that Spencer was a nutcase) or more hurt (why can't Carly love her son?).

Freddie doesn't give up though, comes up with a master plan that makes Mrs. Benson smile ruefully. She hears what their children's names will be and how pretty Carly will look on the wedding day and how, Sam will not be invited unless she starts being nicer to Freddie.

* * *

><p>The years pass and Freddie seems to grow out of his infatuation with Carly, though he stills talks about having a family with a mom and a dad. Mrs. Benson is pleased that he has outgrown his longtime crush and asked him that since he's realized he and Carly will never have kids together, what will his children look like now?<p>

"I'm going to have two kids, a boy and a girl. The girl will have blonde hair and my eyes, and the boy will have my hair and blue eyes." Freddie grinned as he imagined his future.

Mrs. Benson's fear returned fast, because she doesn't think he even realized it, but Freddie had just described children so reminiscent of both him and Samantha Puckett. And she doesn't like the idea that her Freddie is falling for a girl so rough around the edges, but she finds she doesn't hate it either, after all she suspected that his feeling were to be returned this time at least.

* * *

><p>Years pass again, and soon Freddie's getting the future he always wanted, though not exactly the way he planned it. He knew that dating Sam had been crazy and stressful, he knew marrying Sam would be crazy and stressful, and now as he holds back a handful of blonde curls with one hand and rubs his wife back with the other hand, thinks this will be the most stressful time he's ever faced.<p>

"I hate you, Benson!" Sam moaned, before disappearing back inside the toilet bowl.

Freddie smiled despite the insult that was hurled (pardon the pun) at him, because he knows she doesn't mean it. Freddie found himself thinking that it was a little ironic, "I can't believe the smell of any pork product makes me puke," Sam complained, "No bacon…. No pork chops… no _ham_... I hate you."

Freddie leaned over to help Sam stand up, but she pushed him away muttering, "I'm pregnant not an invalid," before she collapsed on the couch, in the living room of their modest two bedroom home. He lifted her feet, before sitting down and placing them back in his lap and starts to gently massage Sam's feet and she started to grin slightly.

"Feel better?" he dared to ask.

"No, I'm pregnant," Sam snapped, "I never feel good." But that's a lie and both she and Freddie are well aware of it. That day had been a bad day, but most of the time she loved being pregnant. It allowed her to eat as she wanted without questions and stares, she got to order people around and it gave her an excuse for her attitude, she often declared, "It was a mood swing!" but Freddie was pretty sure that Sam would've had said and done those things, pregnant or not. And, she looked gorgeous. Freddie always thought Sam was beautiful, but being pregnant really suited her.

She had the telltale pregnant glow, her hair seemed shinier, her eyes seemed brighter and she smiled, more often than smirked. Yeah, other than the morning sickness that came from the smell of any pork product cooking for miles around, Sam's pregnancy was pretty stress-free, for her anyway.

* * *

><p>Freddie paced in front of Sam as she lazed around on the couch, they were arguing, about names. They didn't know what they wanted to name their unborn child and as usual they couldn't agree on anything. "I think… Carly if it's a girl and Carl if it's a boy, but it's a girl." Sam half-heartedly suggested, she did want to name the kid after Carly in some way, but didn't want to have to start calling her best friend by a different name.<p>

"I was thinking Melissa for a girl," Freddie mentioned, "For your sister and my mom, I still think it's a boy."

"Oh yes, the two people I dislike most in the world, no, I don't want to be reminded of any of them when I look at my little girl, it's a girl, _Fredward,_"

"No,_ Samantha,_ it might not be a girl, we don't know, we wanted to be surprised." He reminded her.

"Oh, god, let's please not name our child either Fredward or Samantha… what were our parents thinking?" Sam criticized.

Freddie nodded in agreement, "What about Spencer?"

"Mmm… we run into the same problem we have with Carls," Sam said, and Freddie had to agree with her, Sam eyes lit up, "Oh! I have the best idea, and it's perfect for a boy or a girl" she shouted, a smile playing across her lips.

"What is it?" Freddie asked eagerly, already getting a feeling he would love this name, simply because Sam seemed so excited by it.

* * *

><p>His mom had been right, Freddie decided, he had never been so stressed in his life. But Freddie was excited, or at least he was excited when he wasn't trying not to pass out from the death grip Sam had on his hand. She kept screeching, "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you," and the nurses assured him this was normal for women in labor, he didn't bother to tell them that this was normal for Sam.<p>

On the other side of Sam was Carly, smiling at Sam and saying encouraging things. Freddie's knuckles were turning white and he was beginning to lose the feeling in his hand which was welcomed if it was replacing the pain. Freddie dared to lean over and place a sweet kiss on Sam's forehead, when he pulled away and looked at her; she was glaring at him, "Never again." She said through gritted teeth.

"The baby or the sex?" Carly asked, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"No sex, no baby," Sam concluded, "So…. Both."

"Ah, c'mon Sam," Freddie tried to squeeze her hand lightly, but he couldn't move the hand that was in her grasp, so he reached over with his right hand, and moved a piece of blonde hair back into place, smoothing it down gently, "It'll all be over soon."

* * *

><p>Freddie had been wrong. Sam had been in labor for nearly twenty-four hours. She had wanted to kill him for all of those 24 hours, but the minute she heard the words, "It's a girl," she had forgotten that she was mad at him and a smile lit up her face, Freddie's too. Sam was handed her daughter as the room emptied and she decided she was perfect, all the stress has been worth it, plus she had been right, it was a girl.<p>

"Can I hold her?" Freddie whispered, leaning over his wife and daughter, "She looks just like you," he handed the baby girl back to Sam.

Sam laughed, "Good, it would be a disaster if she looked like you,"

"She's beautiful, you both are," Freddie kissed Sam, and then placed the lightest, softest kiss on his daughter's head. "Do you wannna let Carly and Spence in now? Or do you want to sleep?"

"Yes, I want to sleep, but Carls will kill me if I don't let her in here now," Sam replied.

Freddie laughed softly, "Okay, I'll go get them," and he opened the door to Sam's room quickly, and Spencer and Carly rushed in. Carly laughed in delight when she saw the small white blanket wrapped around the baby, "You refused the pink didn't you?"

"You don't need pink to know she's a girl," Sam defended.

Spencer looked at the little girl around his baby sister, "Hey there kiddo," he said softly, "What's her name?"

Sam and Freddie answered together, "Carls, Spencer, meet Shay."

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><p>AN: I just wanted to thank everyone for the over 100 reviews (I was like 100 reviews :O :D) this story has received. I write because I enjoy writing, but I love that other people are enjoying my writing as well. Thanks and R&R!


	21. Storm

**A/N:** Warning, this is a little dark. Quite a bit darker than my normal fluffiness. Even I was surprised by it.

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><p><strong>Storm<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

"Sam, we can't go outside there's a thunderstorm!" I protested, as she dragged me along.

"Why not?" Sam asked as we flew down the stairs of Bushwell Plaza.

"The roads are wet and people in cars drive dangerously!" I offered.

"Well, then you better not ever cross a road here in Seattle," Sam raised her eyebrows at me, "It always rains here dork." We had reached the door now and I was running out of excuses and time before we were both soaked, I hadn't even had time to grab an umbrella.

"We might get struck by lightning!" I cried, desperate to stay inside on this wet day.

"Really, Fredward?" Sam asked and I cringed at my full name, "What are the chances of that happening?"

_1 in 10, 000, _I thought though I do not voice it, for fear of fueling Sam's already lifelong burning fire. I shrugged in defeat and let her lead me outside. As soon as we step onto the sidewalk, huge raindrops begin to pound on our heads, making my hair fall into my eyes but I'm happy to find that at least it's not cold. Then over the rolls of thunder I heard a noise and stopped trying to flip my hair out of my eyes, I turned and looked at Sam.

Her blonde curls appearing darker and straighter because of the water it has absorbed. Her arms are raised above her head and the noise I heard was the incredible sound of her laughter. Even though she has to be soaked to the bone right now, Sam is having fun. I decided that she has the right idea and that maybe I need to live a little for a change so I run out and join her. I laughed too as the rain continues to pour and Sam and I continued to spin.

After we both got too dizzy to spin anymore we traipsed down the streets of Seattle neither one of us wanting to return inside just yet. The thunder boomed and lightning flashed, illuminating the city that Sam and I seemed to have all to ourselves. We were the only two brave enough to face the tempest head on. Actually, Sam's the only one brave enough to face the squall; she just dragged me along for the ride.

I followed Sam wordlessly as she turned down an alleyway, then she spotted a ladder on the side of the building on our right that looked as though it led to the roof. A grin broke out across Sam's face and I immediately knew what she was going to do.

"Sam, don't!" I cried, "It's dangerous!"

"I've done lots of dangerous things before, Benson," Sam remarked quickening her pace.

I increased my speed to match her and grabbed her shoulder, then spun her around so she was facing me, "Not life threatening dangerous!" I shouted as another bolt streaked the sky.

The following clap of thunder had drowned me out and Sam took that as a sign. Easily breaking free of my grip she bounded towards and up the ladders and I yelled after her, though between the thunder, the rain, and her heavy footsteps there was no way she could have heard me.

Sam clambered up with skill, and as she reached the top of the metal ladder another bolt of lightning strike, hitting between the alleyway, for the highest point of the conductor of electricity. Sam went limp and fell the several feet to the ground and my shout of no was carried away in the resounding roar of the thunder.

I ran towards her, already dialing 911. I should have known. I really should have known. Sam's not like any other girl. She's that 1 in 10 000.

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><p><strong>AN:** I feel so bad… this is so awful. I hope you enjoyed reading it anyway… I wanted to thank everyone for the 124 reviews! Oh my God, that's amazing. I'm so happy about that. I'm very excited about iParty with Victorious (I recently watched every episode of Victorious just to know what's going on) and very sorry about this chapter really. I hope you still R&R!


	22. Soft

**A/N: **I promised to update soon, so here it is!

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><p><strong>Soft<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I groaned as opened my eyes, to the harsh lights of an unfamiliar place. My head rested on something incredible bright and sort of hard, I was surprised to find that it was a pillow. Okay, clearly the rest of my body is on an equally as hard mattress. _Where am I?_ I wondered briefly, but the pounding of my head was harder than the mattress and the pillow combined.

I shut my eyes trying to lift my right arm to scratch an itch on my chin but I found I couldn't. I slowly cracked my eyes open again and glanced at my right arm, simultaneously lifting my left arm to scratch the itch. A cast, a bright blue cast was on my arm, and a sling, a shade of darker blue was also keeping my arm in place. Oh, cast, okay so I'm probably in a hospital, which explained all the white and uncomfortable furniture. I racked my brain trying to think about how I got here.

I had left Bushwell Plaza with Frednerd in tow, to enjoy the thunderstorm. That was the last thing I remembered though. Just then a door creaked open and a doctor walked in.

"Oh you're awake!" she exclaimed, adjusting her lab coat and I just nodded then regretted the action as my head throbbed, "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

"Sam Puckett," I managed to say though my throat felt raw.

"Okay, that's good, name of your best friend?" the lady-doctor continued.

"Carly Shay," I replied, struggling not to roll my eyes.

"Good, good," Is that all she can say? "Last question, what is the name of the tech producer for iCarly?"

"Fredward Benson," I smirked.

"Excellent, it seems you're not experience long-term memory loss, though if I'm right, you don't remember how you got here, correct?"

I nodded again deciding that the quicker I answered the quicker she would explain. I was right. "Okay," Dr. Lady (I really should find out her name) said, "I'm going to fill you in, you came in here last night around 11pm, a boy accompanied you," she flipped through the charts, "Freddie, was his name, he said that you had fell several feet after you were struck by lightning."

_Whoa_, I thought, "I was hit by lightning?"

"Yes, but you're a very lucky girl," She smiled gently at me; "You suffered some pretty severe burns, and broke your arm and hit your head when you fell, but you seem to be doing okay. We couldn't reach your mother, so I contacted a Spencer Shay, he was listed as your emergency contact, he's waiting outside with Freddie and another girl about your age, Carly, and would you like to see them?"

"Yes!" I said eagerly, a little upset that my mother hadn't been around when I was hurt but glad that Carly, and Spencer and Freddie were here with me.

"Okay, just a few more things than they can come in," she smiled at me excitement, "First, we going to keep you one more night for observation, then if everything is alright, you can go home tomorrow, we're still trying to get in touch with your mother though, secondly, it's dulled now because of the medication you're on, but the left side of your body has many burns on it, and it will hurt a lot, so you need to take it easy for a couple of weeks, the cast can come off in about 6 weeks, other than that it's just bumps and bruises, I think that's about it, I'm going to let your friends come in now."

The doctor walked toward the doors and opened it; speaking softly to the people I knew were waiting outside. I took the few moment alone IK had to hope my mother was on her way back from her weekend in Vegas with her new boyfriend, and that I was glad I had changed my emergency contact to Spencer the moment I turned sixteen. Then the door creaked again and three people pile in.

Carly's in the lead, rushing towards me, with Freddie hot on her heels, and Spencer took and a more casual approach. "Sam!" Carly cried, throwing herself at me, and I gasped as pain shot through my body, "Oh, I'm sorry!" Carly wrenched herself away from me and pulling a chair to sit on my right side, "Did I hurt you?" she asked worriedly.

I took a few deep breaths, "I'm okay Carls," I reassured her.

"I was so worried when Freddie called me, then the hospital called Spencer and…" as Carly continued to ramble I looked at Freddie who had walked to the other side on the bed and collapsed into the other visitor chair. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink, his hair was a mess, there were bags under his eyes and he the clothes he was wearing were wrinkled.

"Hey, dork," I asked as Carly finished her tirade, "Are those the same clothes you were wearing last night?"

Freddie nodded swiftly, but didn't open his mouth. Had he stayed here all night, with me? Spencer spoke up next.

"Hey, kiddo," He said, reaching over and gently patting my foot, unlike his younger sister, "How you feeling?"

"Well, my head hurts, but I suppose I deserve it for being stupid, I can't believe I got hit by lightning." I shook my head, "It's like… what are the chances of that happening?"

Freddie let out a hollow laugh, "1 in 10 000."

Carly asked me a serious question then, "where's your mom?"

"Vegas," I replied.

"Oh, I thought she was doing better," Carly spoke quietly.

"She is. This is her first trip in months, and she actually gave me a time frame of when she was going to be back," I informed Carly, "this is an improvement,"

"Well, Sam," Spencer said, "You're going to have to stay with us for awhile, like that's so different from everyday life."

"I have to stay here for the night, and I'm hungry!" I complained.

Spencer grinned, "I'll see what I can do about that," he left the room.

Carly leaned over me, gently this time, and hugged me, "I was so scared Sam," she whispered her voice breaking.

"Oh, Carls," I said quickly, "Don't cry, please don't cry," I begged.

Carly took a couple of shaky breathes then smiled, "How are you going to do anything?"

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"You won't be able to use your right hand for anything," Carly explained.

"Well, at least I'll have an excuse for not taking notes!" I joked, "Oh and I bet I could get people to feed me, or…" I trailed off.

"Or I could teach you how to use your left hand," Freddie muttered.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm ambidextrous," Freddie said with a shrug.

"Really?" Carly asked, "I didn't know that," and I almost asked what ambidextrous meant.

"It's not really something that's ever come up," Freddie shrugged again, "But I can use both my left and my right hand for almost anything,"

"Hmm, if I can't get people to do things for me, I may have to take you up on that offer Benson," I announced.

Then, there was a crash that sounded from the other end of the hallway and Carly muttered "Spencer," before giving me an apologetic smile and walking out of the room.

The minute Carly shut the door behind her Freddie exploded, "You're an idiot!"

"Watch it Freddork," I warned him, "I can still punch; in fact I punch harder with my left hand!"

"I don't care!" Freddie stood and stomped his feet like the little girl he is, "I told you it was dangerous and you did it anyway!"

"Well, why didn't you tell me that the chances of being hit by lightning was 1 in 10 000 when I asked you?" I shot back.

"Because you would have gone anyway," he shouted, "You could have died!"

"But I didn't," I point out, "I'm still right here, and I'm okay,"

"You are not okay!" Freddie exclaimed, "You're covered in bruises and burns and you're arm is broken!"

"Okay," I admitted, "I'm not okay right now, but I will be fine, I'm a Puckett, and Pucketts are strong," I paused, "Have you been home yet?"

Freddie calmed down, and sat down again, he shook his head, "No, I just called my mom, but she's here at work anyway, I had to stay with you."

"Why?" I asked, genuinely curious, "I mean, I get that you couldn't exactly leave me after I was struck by lightning but once Carls got here you would have been free to go,"

"How would I have known when you woke up then?" Freddie asked, voice barely a whisper.

"Why would you care?" I spit out venomously, "We hate each other."

"Sam, you and I both know that's not true," He explained, in a hushed tone, "You care about me, and I care about you,"

Then to my surprise he left hand, and squeezed it, and my heart beat faster in my chest, because the pillow was like a rock, that mattress was stiff, and I was tough, but his touch was so caring and soft.

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><p><strong>AN**: Haha, I love writing scenes where Freddie and Sam shout at each other. I really don't know why. Also, I got the info that Sam punches harder with her left hand from iChristmas, and on the iCarly wiki it says that Freddie often shown with a fork or a pen in his left hand, but fences with his right hand, which implies he is ambidextrous. R&R!


	23. Sleepover

A/N: I have decided these last 3 chapter or just the last 2 are all set before iOMG even though it's not really canon. Haha, oh well, this is fanfiction. Who's excited for iParty With Victorious?

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><p><strong>Sleepover<strong>

**Sam's POV**

"Sam!" Carly exclaimed excitedly, "Let's have a sleepover!" she clapped her hands in joy.

I rolled my eyes from my seat on the couch and laughed, "Carls, I sleepover more nights that I don't!"

She sat down beside me, "But we never have a real sleepover anymore, c'mon it'll be fun!" Carly smiled.

"You mean like pillow fights and ditzy movies and all that girly chizz?" I asked rolling my eyes once more.

Carly nodded and her smile grew, "Please?" she used her signature pout and puppy dog eyes.

"Ugh! Okay, fine!" I gave in, it's the least I can do really, I mean, she came to see me in the hospital, helped me change and has been helping me do things that aren't possible when you're right handed and your right hand is trapped in a bright blue cast.

Carly cheered, "Okay, so we're gonna start this out in," she glanced at her PearPhone, "about 2 hours, 8 o clock, PJs and everything! I'll pick the movies and you go run to the convenience store to get some snacks – here's $20," Carly held the bill out to me, but just as I was about to close my fist around the green paper she snatched it away. "Oh, you'll just spend it all and how will you carry the snacks home?"

"In my left hand?" I suggested, "Or, you could go get the snacks, and I get to pick the movies," time for some blood and gore.

"No, no, no, we have to have a traditional sleepover, oh I know!" Carly snapped her fingers, "I'll ask Freddie to go with you,"

"Ugh, nooooo," I complained half-heartedly, really, at least I could escape Carly preparing for the girl-fest that would occur in a couple of hours.

"Too late," Carly said, "I already texted,"

As she finished her sentence there was a single knock before the door was cracked open and dork himself walked in, "Yeah, sure I'll take Sam out for snacks, no I won't let her eat them, you ready to go Puckett?"

"Fine, I'll go," I whined, "But only if Benson buys me a smoothie," I snatched the $20 out of Carly's hand this time.

"Deal," Carly said.

"Deal?" Freddie asked with a groan.

"Deal," Carly repeated firmly.

"Let's go fudge face," I headed out the Shay's door, Freddie followed me grumbling.

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><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

"Sam!" I cried as the total was rang up and came to nearly $40, "You are so not getting your smoothie," I took the twenty from Sam's hand and added my own.

As the cashier handed me my change, and Sam picked up two bags, but was struggling with the third and final bag, I sighed. "I can do it Benson!" She spat.

"Ugh, Sam, just let me," I picked up the last bag, "Let's go back to Bushwell,"

Sam shook her blonde curls, "Nu-uh!" she said childishly, "Time for my smoothie!"

"No, Sam," I said, crossing my arms, and accidentally swinging the plastic bag I was holding.

"You made a deal with Carly!" she bellyached.

"That was before you made me spend $20 on snacks for one night!" I shouted.

We had left the store by now and we were headed back to Bushwell, meaning we would have to pass the Groovy Smoothie. "But you had a deal!" Sam complained.

"Deal broken when you spent my last $20!" I lied; I easily had at least another $40 in my wallet.

"Don't lie, Fredweird," Sam scoffed.

How had she known? "Fine!" I give in, and steered myself towards the Groovy Smoothie.

Sam smirked at her victory.

A few moments later, we entered the smoothie shop and I go up to the counter and order two smoothies from T-Bo, then pay, and I'm about to hand one to Sam when I realize she won't be able to hold it. "Sam, wanna hand me those two bags so you can get your smoothie?"

Sam frowned, and then tried to swing her right arm out to grab the delicious drink but was stopped by the sling and let out a short gasp of pain, then grumbling she traded me the bags for the smoothie. We continued on our way to Bushwell, in a very odd, but sort of pleasant and comfortable silence.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

We had watched the terrible movies, and I had rolled my eyes, and handed Carly the tissues like a good friend. Then we moved on to the girl talk. Carly was telling me about this new guy she liked, he was apparently a little weird but very awesome, and Carly thought he had a girlfriend but then heard they weren't exclusive and blah, blah, blah, blah.

Then suddenly Carly was grinning at me, and asked me a question. "Sorry, Carls, I missed that."

"Oh! I said, is there a new guy in your life?" She smiled at me.

I bit my lip, I hadn't want to say anything to Carly simply because of who it was, and there was just so much… drama, and not the fun kind where I'm not involved and just get to watch things go downhill. But maybe, maybe I could tell her a little without revealing too much.

"Maybe," I said cryptically.

"Oooooh! Do I know him?" she asked, happily.

"Nope," I answered quickly, perhaps a little too quickly, thankfully, Carly didn't seem to notice.

"What's he like?" Carly continued her 20 questions.

"Well, that's the thing; he's not really my type," I started out, "Not at all."

"So, why do you like him then? What's so special about him?" Carly smiled at me encouragingly.

I thought of the guy, and I smiled, "He sticks up for himself, that's important to me,"

"What's he look like?" Carly is just full of questions isn't she?

I considered this briefly and then decided that if I was vague enough that almost any guy could pass for him, "Tall, brown eyes," I started.

"The color of gravy," Carly stated with an amused grin, "What about his hair?"

This was too close, "Blonde, sort of dirty blonde," I lied, thinking of the brunette boy.

"Sounds cute," Carly told me.

"So…" and that time I was really putting myself out there, because what if Carly figured this out? "How do I get him to like me? I mean, without doing the full change ever again, 'because I want him to like me for me,"

"Well," Carly said, before grabbing a handful of grapes and popping them into her mouth, she chewed, and swallowed, "Maybe instead of being loud and teasing to get his attention, you should try to be interested in what he is interested in and for his sake and yours Sam, don't hit him! And if you have been hitting him stop it!"

Hmm, this was going to be harder than I thought. I already knew I didn't stand much of a chance. But really? Quit the teasing and the punching? Can I do that? Maybe… but it will be hard. Do I really want to take that chance? I know he doesn't feel the same way about me, he's made that clear enough times. "I guess I'll give it a try Carls," I smiled, "Apparently this sleepover was a good idea."

Carly smiled a wide smile and let out a little squeal, before she opened her mouth and new topics came up, I tried to listen to her, but my mind kept straying to that tall, not-blonde, brown-eyed guy.

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><p>AN: Hmmmm. Who could Sam possibly be talking about? Haha. Okay, so thanks for reading as usual and I wanted to let all my readers know, that my very old laptop has finally broken down (actually just the charger) so I am borrowing my brothers whenever I can get it, but my updating will most definitely be sporadic. Hopefully I'll get a new laptop soon! So, sorry in advance about that, hope you liked this chapter and R&R!


	24. Sign

**A/N: Have you seen the promo for iLost My Mind? Looks amazing right? This chapter is set after iOMG.**

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><p><strong>Sign<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I am a computer and science kind of guy. I believe in facts and things that make sense.

_This does not make sense._

I shouldn't be surprised, after all, the things Sam does and says rarely make sense, but this situation makes no sense whatsoever, and there is not a single way I can think of to make sense of it.

She can't feel this way, because it doesn't make sense. It doesn't matter if I've been battling my own feelings that also don't make sense for months now. This just doesn't make sense.

She hates him. She has to. Because that, that I understand, I understands that she felt like he stole Carly away from her (and I did try to, I'll admit to that). So, the hate makes sense. And me hating her makes sense, even though I really don't. It makes sense, because you should hate someone who treats you the way Sam treats me.

I could even, if I tried hard too, I could even make sense of us being pseudo-friends, or frienemies or whatever you wanted to call it, simply because we spend so much time together because of the webshow and because of Carly, who Sam needed in her life and who I've come to want in my life, though in a different way than I used to. I could make sense of that.

So, if this situation doesn't make sense, which I assure you, it does not, I need to do something that I normally wouldn't. I mean, just because I have church pants, and my mom makes me where them and go to church doesn't mean I actually believe in God.

But praying seems like a good thing to do, it's one of those things that I have never thought made sense. After all, most people used prayer to ask for things instead of to give thanks for the things they already had. Didn't people ask God for some sort of thing to show them the right direction?

So, as I lay in my bed the morning after the lock-in, trying to fall asleep and failing miserably at it, because my head was filled with thoughts that just don't make any sense, I decided I would pray, to whatever Gods there may are may not be, because I sure as hell wasn't sure where to go from here.

_Dear… whoever… if there's anyone up there at all even, I've never asked for anything before and I really don't expect anything now. But I'm going through a rough patch here, you see, a girl, one of my best friends, Sam, she's supposed to hate me, and I'm supposed to hate her, but last night, she kissed me. It was totally out of the blue and everything, but she kissed me, and her mood was in love and I thought she was in love with another guy, but she wasn't, and she kissed me, and maybe that means she's in love with me, right? So, now the thing is, I don't know if I'm in love with her, I mean, I think there might be something there, but I don't know how to go about seeing if there actually is something there. And knowing Sam, she's probably just going to pretend this didn't happen and I want to know if there is any way you could maybe… like… give me a sign… on if I should pretend it never happened, or if I should maybe give the thought of us being more than friends a chance?_

Sighing, as I gave up on any chance of sleep that morning, I sat up in bed and pulled my laptop open. I quickly opened the browser to the homepage (Zaplook, never know when you might have to look something up), and in the side bar, where ads were displayed, there was a red banner with blue lettering that read, _Give Love a Chance!_ This couldn't possibly be the sign I had asked for. Could it?

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><p><strong>AN: R&R**


	25. Seattle

**A/N: Okay, this is longish, but I really like it. It is set in the future (actually a year after the end of stressed).**

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><p><strong>Seattle<strong>

Sam sighed as the pilot announced the landing. She loved her job, something she never thought she would say, but being a food critic allowed her to do the two things she was best at, eating, and if it was bad, insulting. She enjoyed the power it gave her, and the fact that she was able to travel. Sam did enjoy traveling, but Seattle was, and would always be her home.

It was even more exciting now to be returning since there would be two people instead of just one waiting for her at home. Her wonderful husband (even though they've been married for almost two years, Sam still gets a thrill every time she thinks the word husband) and her beautiful baby girl, who would be one year old today. Sam could not miss that.

She was supposed to have arrived back in Seattle last night, but an infamous Seattle storm had delayed this flight and pissed her off. She had even threatened several airline workers, but there wasn't much they could do. As one flight attendant had said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, we can't control the weather," Sam had to hold herself back from punching the girl in the face, first for stating the obvious and secondly for calling her ma'am.

So as the plane landed not-so-smoothly, Sam was ecstatic, simply because she would be able to see the man she loved and her daughter. She waited, impatiently tapping her foot, as the plane rolled to a complete stop, and she was the first one out of the plane. Since she only had carry-on luggage, she was the first off and the first to the gate where her already big smile grew.

She hadn't been expecting him, but Freddie was waiting for her, with their daughter in his arms. A grin broke out across his face as he caught his first glance of Sam in three days. She looked gorgeous. The child in his arms clapped and started shouting, "Mama! Mama!" Freddie started to walk forward so he could reunite with his wife, more quickly.

When they reached each other, they didn't say anything, just stared at each other for a couple of seconds, before Sam stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. As he pulled away, Freddie whispered, "I missed you,"

"You wish I missed you," Sam joked, "I did however miss you, baby," she said reaching for her daughter.

She took her daughter from Freddie, and her daughter cried again, happily, "Mama! Mama!"

"Happy birthday baby girl," Sam smiled and kissed her daughters head, "I love you."

"Love you more!" her daughter exclaimed, clapping her hands again.

Freddie looked on at the scene that warmed his heart, Sam being so motherly always made him smile. "Now, we have a party to get to don't we?" he grinned, wrapping an arm around Sam's waist and pulling his girls closer to him.

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><p>Freddie drove back to their modest two bedroom house, where Sam was in awe that there were already so many people there. "All this for you!" Sam exclaimed, as she got out of the car, opened the back door, and tickled her girl's stomach, "You are so spoilt!" She lifted her daughter out of the carseat.<p>

"Haha, yeah, and you're the one who does all the spoiling," Freddie said, with a grin, as he waited for Sam to walk up the driveway.

"Don't lie, Benson," Sam said, "We both have you wrapped around our fingers, especially, Shay,"

Freddie sighed, "It's true," he opened the front door and was happy to see the place packed with people they knew.

Carly ran over, hugging Sam and scooping up Shay, "Happy birthday, honey," she said, before blowing a raspberry on Shay's stomach, which made Shay giggle.

"How was the flight?" Carly asked turning to Sam, and easily bouncing Shay up and down on her hip.

"Terrible, but I'm glad to be back," Sam grinned, "You did all this didn't you?"

"Of course I did!" Carly almost yelled, "How could I let my beautiful goddaughter not have the proper birthday party?"

Freddie laughed, "Thanks for everything Carls, it's amazing."

Carly looked at Shay, and asked the infant, "So, what first Shay? Food or presents?"

"Food! Food!" Shay shouted enthusiastically.

Sam laughed, "That's my girl!"

Freddie shook his head, "Is she even anything like me at all?"

"She looks like you," Carly noted, smoothing Shay's soft brown hair that was quickly becoming curly, and pointing to her large brown eyes.

"No, she's too pretty to look like me," Freddie said, "I think her features are all Sam's."

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><p>Food, cake, presents and hours later, it was just Sam, Carly, Freddie, Spencer, Gibby, and Shay who was starting to fall asleep in Spencer's arms. "It's just like old times," Carly sighed happily, sitting on Sam and Freddie's couch.<p>

"Yeah, 'cause we always had a baby," Sam snorted, collapsing beside her best friend.

Freddie added, "It's the wrong place, old times we would be at Bushwell, on your couch Carls,"

"On my couch, actually," Spencer piped up.

"And I would've taken my shirt off," Gibby announced, from his seat beside the couch.

Carly groaned throwing her hands up in the air dramatically, "Fine then, it's sort of like old times, just us all being together."

"This is nice," Sam admitted, pulling Freddie's arm rather roughly, so he fell onto the couch beside her.

"It's nice to have you home," Freddie said, "Although you may have just dislocated my shoulder."

"Man up, Benson," Sam sighed, and yawned.

"Is it bedtime already?" Freddie teased.

"Hey. Some of us have jobs that actually require not only leaving the house, but the country, Mr. Stay-at-Home-Dad." Sam argued.

Carly laughed, "See? Bickering, like old times,"

"I am not a stay-at-home Dad, I am the CEO of a very successful business, which allows me to work from home," Freddie defended. Sam, of course, had a comeback for that until a noise startled them both out of it.

Shay was crying, Sam and Freddie both leapt up, and over to Spencer, Sam quickly snatching her daughter from his arms, "What's wrong baby?" she held her daughter close.

And although Shay didn't talk much (she took after Freddie in that respect, or so Sam was told) she was very clever, "Want food."

"You just ate, sweetheart," Freddie said incredulously.

"Yes, but she's _Sam's_ daughter," Spencer explained.

Freddie looked hurt for a fraction of a second, "She's _our_ daughter, she's just got Sam's love for food and sleep,"

"Yeah, but she's smart like you," Sam said, rolling her eyes, "Look, we're not fighting anymore."

"So… sneaky like Sam, but clever like Freddie," Gibby mused, "She's going to be an absolute terror as a teenager,"

Spencer and Carly nodded, "Is it time for us to go?" Carly asked, politely.

"I think it's snack and then bedtime for my girls," Freddie agreed, then the entire group walked to the front door, "Thanks again Carls, for everything,"

Gibby, and Spencer shook Freddie's hand, and Spencer kissed Sam on the cheek and Shay on the forehead all saying their goodbyes and heading to their cars. Then Carly hugged Sam and Freddie, and kissed them both on the cheek, and kissed Shay on both cheeks, "I'll see you guys for lunch tomorrow right?"

"For sure, Carls," Sam answered.

Shay shouted, "Byeeeeeee Auntie Carly!"

"See you tomorrow, Carly," Freddie shut the door as Carly walked to her vehicle; he turned towards his wife and daughter, "Snack time?"

"Sounds good, bacon?" Sam half-asked, half-ordered.

"Of course," Freddie said, heading to the fridge.

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><p>Late that night, Shay fed and tucked into bed, and Sam and Freddie climbing into their bed. Freddie wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, drawing her to him, "Welcome home, Princess."<p>

Sam laughed, "I'm glad to be back, it's true you know?" she said, moving to rest her head against Freddie's chest.

"What's true?" He asked, dropping a kiss on top of her head, and pulling the covers over both of them.

"There's no place like home," Sam mumbled through a yawn, "And, Seattle is home."

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><p><strong>AN: Hmmm, there's going to be a full-length version of iParty With Victorious (2 hours... long I believe). Hope you enjoyed this chapter, R&R.**


	26. Sculpture

**A/N: OVER 150 reviews I can hardly believe it, thank you guys for supporting me and reading! I actually love this chapter. It involves Spencer, sculpting and Seddie. Hope you enjoy.**

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><p><strong>Sculpture<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I only knocked once on the Shay's door, before letting myself in, and finding myself face with Spencer Shay. "Your text said you needed help with your sculpture, what sort of help?" I asked cautiously.

"Nothing dangerous," Spencer promised, "I just need you to pose,"

"Oh," I sighed in relief, "I suppose I can do that, Carly still in Yakima this weekend?"

Spencer nodded, seemingly a bit distracted as he gathered the materials he needed for his sculpture, and he kept glancing at the door.

"Spence, are you waiting for someone else?" I asked.

"Uh… yeah," Spencer answered quickly, "Need two people for this sculpture."

"Two people?" I asked worriedly, "What sort of sculpture is this for?"

"For a love exhibit in a real museum, they liked my weird stuff but they wanted some human romancey weird stuff," Spencer explained hurriedly, his eyes still glued to the door.

"Romancey?" I questioned with a laugh.

Then the door swung open violently and a pile of blonde curls rushed in, she waved hello to Spencer, then saw me and stopped dead in her tracks.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I burst into the Shay's apartment; Spencer had promised bacon breakfasts for a month if I helped him out again. But he had failed to mention that I wouldn't be the only one posing for this weird-romance sculpture, and he definitely failed to mention that the other person would be none other than Fredward Benson.

So, when I waved to Spencer, then turned intending to head into the kitchen for a pre-posing snack and caught sight of Freddie, with wide eyes and an open mouth it made me stop. I drew myself up to my full height (yeah, like that does much in a room with Freddie and Spencer) and growled, "No way is this happening."

Freddie nodded in agreement, than stopped, "Wait- why not?"

_Beccause for some unknown reason, I'm have a huge crush on you, _I thought, "Because you're a nub," is what I said.

"C'mon Sam," Spencer begged, "Please,"

I groaned, Spencer was one of my most favorite people in the world (and I hate people so that should say something) and since he did let me pretty much over take his house on a daily basis I sighed and said, "It better be foreign bacon."

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><p><strong>Spencer's POV<strong>

"So…" Freddie started, "What do you…"

"Need us to do?" Sam finished. And I blinked rapidly, wondering if they are even aware that they finish each other's sentences.

"Well, the sculpture wanted me to focus on a love-hate relationship," I explained, though I don't add, _and you two were the first people who came to mind._

"Well, at least the hate part will be true," Sam muttered crossing her arms, and Freddie stuck his tongue out at her. It was oddly adorable.

"So, they're going to be two poses, one hate, and one love," I continued, "The hate one will look… kinda of like you guys now," I laughed, "The love one will be a little different, are you guys going to be okay with that? It may be kind of uncomfortable."

Freddie glanced at Sam, and she stared back at him, then Sam following only a fraction of a second after Freddie they both nodded. "Let's start with the hate," I suggested.

"So, what do you want us to do?" Freddie asked.

"Um…" I closed my eyes and thought about all the times I had seen Sam and Freddie fight, and I move closer to the pair of teens. I gently tug Freddie and place him where I want him. "Okay, Freddie, stand with your feet apart, arms thrown out to the sides," Freddie obediently places his arms out to his sides, and I adjust them accordingly, "Now, Sam, " I motioned for her to take a few steps closer, because I had learned from experience, don't touch Sam, I stepped back a little. "Take one more step closer Sam, and cross your arms," she did what she was told shooting me a venomous glare, "and glare at Freddie just like that, Freddie look like you just don't understand why Sam is mad at you,"

"Easy enough," Freddie muttered, and Sam's glare became more serious, as Freddie donned a look of incomprehension.

"Perfect, now don't move." I ordered.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

"Before we officially start," I turned my body away from Freddie and back to Spencer who let out an audible whine, "You're not going to sculpt a fish again are you?"

Freddie raised his eyebrows questioningly, and Spencer groaned, "No, it'll really be you this time, now get back to hating Freddie!"

I'm about to shout don't tell me what to do, when I realize that Spencer just wanted me to get back into the pose, so I do, albeit a little reluctantly.

"Now don't move!" Spencer exclaimed, gathering his stuff to make the sculpture.

I returned my gaze to Freddie and settled into a glare, this part was easy, and it felt normal.

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><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

This was easy; this was a normal day for me and Sam. Her glaring at me, and me being supremely confused, wondering what I did to make her so pissed off.

"You guys are brilliant at this," Spencer mused, before sticking his hand back into the bucket of… something, and adding more to the sculpture.

Neither Sam nor I broke the pose, our intent focus was only on each other, and Sam's glare was so powerful I wondered if she was really mad at me, and why. It was as if Spencer wasn't even here, just me and Sam, and no Carly to settle the fight we would have been about to have.

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><p><strong>Spencer's POV<strong>

Samm and Freddie have been so unbelievably still, that I finished the first part of the sculpture in no time. Then I check to make sure they're both still breathing and that they haven't actually frozen in spot before I call out to them "Okay, five minute break, then we'll start part two?" I half-asked, on my way to my bathroom (I really had to pee).

I come back from my bathroom break, to find Sam at the counter gnawing on a chicken leg and sort of gazing at Freddie, and Freddie sitting in front of the computer, typing rapidly, and not even noticing Sam. Oh, that's a little heartbreaking to watch. "Yo, Freddie," I called.

"Yeah, Spencer?" he acknowledged me.

"Come help me drag the bench out of my room," I told him, "It's important for the next part,"

He nodded and followed me into the room looking at the bench I built suspiciously, "Spence, did you make this?" he asked.

I nodded excitedly, and we each grabbed an end and walked back out towards the living room, "Yeah, isn't it awesome?" and it was, it would've been just a normal looking bench, but after I had built it, I noted that it was too boring, and I had splatter-painted it.

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><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

"Yeah, but is it safe?" I asked, as we placed the bench down in front of Spencer's sculpting materials.

Spencer shrugged, "No one has sat on it yet, the paint wasn't dry until this morning," he said cheerfully.

"Of course," I muttered, "So… I'll be the first one then?" I poked at the bench and watched it wiggle a little fearfully.

"Well, you and Sam of course," Spencer said.

"Will this thing even hold both of us?" I asked incredulously, and then clamped a hand over my mouth as I realized what I had just unintentionally done.

Sam's eyes narrowed as she approached me and she glared, "Excuse me?" she growled.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

"Sam! I didn't mean it!" I watched as Freddie became more and more flustered, I had to admit this was kind of hilarious. "I just meant that Spencer's not always known for building the most safe structures!" he lifted his arms to shield himself from what I might do to him.

Spencer cried a hurt, "Hey!" but Freddie was still trying to appease me, backing away one step at a time.

Finally I cracked a grin, the look on Fredweird's incredibly red face was so hilarious I couldn't help it, "Oh relax, Benson," I said, flopping onto the bench which shook a little but didn't collapse, "If Spencer made it; it's more likely to catch fire than collapse."

Spencer nodded, and Freddie sighed, sitting down cautiously on the edge of the opposite end of the bench. "Are you guys ready now?" Spencer asked when the bench did not catch fire or collapse.

"Yeah," Freddork and I said at the same time.

"Now Sam, scoot close to Freddie," I moved forward inch by inch, until Spencer said, "Stop! Sam put your hands behind you on either side, to support yourself," I stopped listening as Freddie was given instructions by Spencer and suddenly this position with Freddie this close to me, was incredibly familiar, so familiar that I could have guessed Spencer's next words.

"Freddie, lean,"

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><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

I let out a silent gasp at Spencer directions, before doing as I was told, my right hand resting comfortably on my thigh, half-closing my eyes and titling my head slightly to the left. Sam did the same, and just before we closed the space between our lips, Spencer shouted, "Stop! Perfect, have you guys done this before?"

His question jolted me out of my position for a second, before I heard Sam whisper, "You have no idea,"

Spencer really couldn't have known, I mean he probably knew we kissed because Carly is not a good secret keeper, but since neither Sam nor I shared any details about the kiss it was impossible for him to know that this is almost exactly how it played out.

"Now, stay like that, and love each other," Spencer said, happily reaching for his supplies.

"You mean, pretend to love each other," I corrected as my heart beat faster and Sam twitched as a hint of a frown appeared on her face, but as quickly as it appeared it was gone.

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><p><strong>Spencer POV<strong>

Sam was my baby sister's best friend, and practically my baby sister herself, so I didn't miss the second of hurt that flicked across her face. Hmmm, so one of them has finally realized she's in love. It's funny; I always thought Freddie would come to his senses first and see that he was head over heels for the blonde girl who loved to torture him.

"Yeah sure, _pretend_ you love each other," I repeated, drawing out the pretend almost sarcastically, and thinking, _just like you pretend you hate each other._

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><p><strong>AN; 1,765 words, that's sort of long, but there's lots of dialogue, and I think some good funny moments too. I really hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it**.


	27. Scream

A/N: Just to let you know, this chapter may be a little scary and a little hilarious, but I think it's mostly sweet. Also I'm almost through the S's.

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><p><strong>Scream<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I reread Carly's text stating that she and Spencer would be back in about 10 minutes, but Spencer didn't remember if he had locked the door, so if he hadn't then I could just let myself in. I pushed expectantly on the door, not surprised when it opened easily.

It was silent when I entered the Shay's apartment, and I found myself a little shocked that Sam wasn't sprawled out on the couch, watching Girly Cow. It was weird to be by myself in the Shay's apartment and the quiet was eerie, so I decided that I would just run upstairs and update the stuff I needed for iCarly.

As I headed towards the staircase I heard a noise that broke my heart and terrified me.

A high-pitched, bloodcurdling scream that had me frozen for a second then dashing up the stairs two at a time. Since I knew Carly's location and the scream had been clearly female, there was only one other person it could have come from.

I reached the glass doors and saw Sam in the prop car Spencer made for us, but something seemed off. Her eyes were closed but her breathing was too erratic for her to be sleeping. I cursed as I tried the handle and found the door locked. I reached to the ledge above the door, and felt around for the key. As my shaky fingers grasped it; it took me a couple of tries before the lock clicked open. I hurried in calling, "Sam! Are you alright?"

When there was no answer, I rushed to her, I laid my hands on both of her shoulders and shook her, and then out of nowhere her left fist flew up and hit me in the face. I stumbled backwards from the force of the punch, realizing as I fought for my consciousness that Sam never hits me as hard as she clearly could. Her eyes opened at the same time, and jumped up, "Benson!" she grabbed my wrists effectively pulling me up and steadying me, "Why did you sneak up on me like that?"

"Why did I sneak up on you?" I shouted, "You didn't hear me?"

Sam stared at me for a second, a confused expression on her face before she muttered "Oh," and pulled out a pair of ear plugs.

"So why did you sneak up on me?" she repeated.

"I thought you were in trouble! I let myself in," I paused in realization, "Spencer didn't forget to lock the door, you picked the lock," then taking a deep breath I continued, "I thought you were in trouble! I heard you scream!"

Sam glare softened and she almost smiled, and I didn't understand her expression, "why did you scream?' I asked shouting and then regretting it, as another wave pain went through my face and head.

"I was practicing for a sketch," Sam informed me, and pointed to the index cards sitting on the hood of the car prop. She then pushed me gently, into the seat of the car, which was good as my knees were about to buckle, "I have to scream for as long as I can in the most terrifying way," she explained.

"Well, good job," I muttered then leaned my head back and groaned.

Sam leaned over me, "I'm actually kind of touched," she whispered, "That you would come running if I was in trouble – even though if I couldn't fight off whatever you thought it was, than you wouldn't have stood a chance,"

"Sam, you're my friend," I said, "Weren't you worried when I got hit by the taco truck?"

"Yeah, of course I was, I saw that thing take you out," Sam shook her head as if trying to clear her head of the memory.

"Yeah, that's how I felt just now," I explained, "But I didn't know what had happened to you."

This time Sam did smile, full and bright, and walked around to the other side of the seat. She crawled in, then knelt on the seat beside me, and lifted her left hand and placed it gently on the right side of my face; I flinched as pain coursed through me.

"Wow, I can't believe your conscious after that punch I threw at you, Fredward," Sam moved her hand almost delicately across my face, and I bit my lip and tried not to cry, "The good news is, I don't think anything is broken, the bad news is, I think I might have to take you to the hospital."

She doesn't move her hand as she said this so when Carly entered the studio and witnessed the scene before her, she asked, "What's going on?"

Sam removed her hand as if she had burnt herself then smiled a little ruefully, "It's sort of a long story, but can we tell it on the way to the hospital,"

"Hospital?" Carly questioned, "Who needs to go the hospital?"

I raised my hand, and Sam said, "If you want the quick explanation, I punched Fredweird."

I stand and see spots before my eyes, and I feel like I'm about to topple over, when suddenly Sam's arm is around my waist supporting me, and with a grunt she said, "Freddie if you fall, you will regret it, Carls a little help here? When did you get so tall?" she directed that question at me.

Carly ran over to my other side, holding onto my arm and leading me over the elevator, she pushed the button, and as the elevator dinged and the doors opened, I managed to maneuver myself inside, leaning heavily on Sam.

Carly flicked her eyes between me and Sam, as she holds the elevator for a few moments, "I'm going to run downstairs and get Spencer so he can drive us, okay?"

Sam nodded, and then Carly let go of the button, and as the door slid down I heard Carly's footsteps on the stairs. I tried not to close my eyes as the elevator began to descend, Sam's biting her lip, and she whispered, partly muffled as her face is half hidden in my shirt, "I'm so sorry, Freddie,"

I'm not mad at her; she did what any person would expect Sam Puckett to do in the situation that had just occurred, so I wondered aloud, "Why are you apologizing?"

She looked up, locking her eyes with mine, "I never meant to hurt you,"

Sam sounded so sincere that I am unsure if she's apologizing for just this time, or every other time she's hurt me, whether it had been physically or emotionally. One of my arms already rests around Sam's shoulder, so I pulled her in closer – a sort of one-armed hug, and let a smile form on my face, as I said, "It's okay."

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><p>AN: Okay, well this turned out way more serious than I thought it would be. But I actually like this version a lot more. I hope you guys do too!


	28. School

AN: Interesting Fact about this chapter, at one point, I switch POV and started writing as Freddie for about one sentence, before going back to Sam's POV. I didn't notice until I reread it. Haha. Probably because I like writing from Freddie's POV, it feels very natural to me, but it was kind of hilarious. Hope you enjoy! LAST S!

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><p><strong>School<strong>

**Sam's POV**

"Are you excited?" Freddie Benson asked me, as we stood outside the school before the beginning of our senior year.

I snorted, "Me? Excited for school? Yeah, right, Benson," I shifted anxiously from one foot to another, before I felt Freddie fingers intertwine with mine.

"You did so much better last year, and you're going to be great this year," Freddie assured me, "But that's not what I was talking about and you know it,"

"Am I excited for the whole school to find out that we're dating and then have it spread to iCarly and then have Creddie fans throw stuff – probably stuff that's on fire – at us?" I said, "No, not really, but it has to be done,"

Freddie laughed and squeezed my hand lightly, "Sam, it's going to be alright, it was your idea in the first place," he reminded me.

"I know," I groaned, "But it's 'cause I don't think I can stand other girls flirting with you, and you are a terrible liar and I know for a fact that Wendy has said she going to ask you out this year, "since you've gotten so much hotter,"" I quoted what Carly had said Wendy had told her.

"Jealous, Puckett?" the nub asked, with a knowing grin on his face.

"You wish," I replied, though I took a step closer to him, planting myself right beside him.

Freddie's grinned widened, he could read me like a book, "You have nothing to worry about Sam, c'mon, the bells about to ring, and Carly will want to see us before we go to class."

I let go of Freddie's hand and wrapped my arm around his waist and he looked down at me, slightly surprised, before he placed his arm around my shoulders. We entered Ridgeway together.

There was complete silence as we walked into Ridgeway's main hallway, and every pair of eyes turned and stared at us. I could almost feel my face flush as Freddie hurriedly led us to our lockers, where Carly was waiting a huge smile on her face.

"Does this mean I don't have to keep it a secret anymore?" she asked us, bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly. We had of course told Carly and Spencer that we were dating, simply because Carls was not good with us keeping secrets from her and she told Spencer everything.

I nodded quickly, and Freddie grinned, "Yeah, Sam's afraid some girl will snatch me up," I elbowed him in the ribs for that comment.

"Ow," he gasped, massaging his side, but not moving away from me, "I suppose I deserved that,"

"Yeah, you did," I snapped, pretending to be a bit angrier than I actually was.

Carly rolled her eyes and spoke up, "You know, Sam has a point Freddie, just the other day, Wendy told me she wanted to jump you, since you've gotten so hot," Carly added the air quotes gesture at the end of her sentence.

I growled, even though Carly was just repeating what Wendy had said and what I had told Fredley earlier, "Sam has nothing to worry about," he repeated.

"Good," I mumbled, but Carly was looking past us and her eyes were widening, "You two might want to get to class." She suggested.

"Huh?" I asked, "Why?"

Freddie glanced behind us and said, "Oh chizz, we all have homeroom together right?"

I pulled my crumpled timetable out of the pocket I had stuffed it in just before I left my house this morning, "12A"

"12A," Carly confirmed,

"Great, then let's go," Freddie said, leading the way, as I grabbed Carly's hand with my free hand, and pulled her along with us. I managed to sneak a look back and saw the group of people closing in on us.

* * *

><p>We had barely slid into the seats beside each other before we were bombarded with questions, since there were still five minutes before class started. This had to be the first time I was ever early for class.<p>

"So, you guys are really dating?" one voice asked, and I nodded quickly, already irritated. Freddie's hand reached over and grasped mine underneath the table, giving me an encouraging squeeze.

"For how long?" a familiar voice asked, it was Gibby, I was surprised he hadn't already figured us out but then again, it is Gibby.

"Since the end of last year," Freddie explained, "About a month after the lock-in."

"Don't you guys hate each other?" a rude person asked, and I ripped my hand away from Freddie's so I could bury my head in my arms on top of the desk.

I felt Carly's gaze on me, and groaned audibly, then I heard Freddie speak up. "Sam and I did hate each other, for a little bit, in 6th grade,"

"I hate you right now," I muttered so only Freddie could hear.

He ignored me and continued, "But we've always been friends despite what we might had said about each other, and we're together now,"

"Well, have you guys kissed, then? 'Cause you're obviously just faking it, if you haven't kissed," a particularly gutsy kid called out.

"For goodness sake," Carly cried out, "Of course they kissed! In fact – they were each other's first kiss!" she shouted.

Then the whole room erupted into chatter and I lifted my head to glare at my best friend.

"Oops," she said apologetically.

If she was anyone other than Carly Shay she'd be close to death right now, but I'd never hurt Carly.

"I don't believe it! Carly and Freddie should be together!" Half the room groaned and the other half cheered.

This is the fanwar all over again. I tapped my foot impatiently, when I felt my chair being dragged to the side, and suddenly Freddie's arm was around waist, and he was bent to whisper in my ears, "Don't listen to them, " he pressed a kiss to the top of my head before pulling slightly away.

"Aw," Carly cooed, as she often did, because according to her, Freddie and I were the most adorable couple she'd ever seen. The shouting continued even as the bell rang and the teacher walked in. The teacher had originally started to calm down the class, but after she found out what it was about she claimed she loved iCarly and had always been a Seddie shipper (she was new to this school) and it started up again.

Finally, I had had enough. I stood up on my chair, then stepped up onto my desk and I shouted, "ENOUGH! Freddie and I are dating. I don't care if you like it or you hate it, it's really no one's business but ours."

This quieted everyone down, except one daring kid, who I would later pummel within an inch to his life, who said, "Prove it! We wanna see you kiss! And no fake quick pecks I mean a real kiss!"

"Fine!" I shrieked, then jumped down from the desk and plopped myself onto Freddie's lap, none too gently.

Freddie let out a small "Oof," before I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted a kiss straight on him. Freddie snaked his arms around my waist as he kissed me back forcefully. Neither of us pulled away until we were both breathless. Then as I pulled back I stared at my boyfriend as he loosened his grip around my waist, and lifted one hand to tuck a stray strand of hair back behind my ear.

"If that's not love, then I don't know what is," Carly said, loudly and clearly, "Now, shouldn't we get on with the lesson?"

I slid back into my own chair and the teacher shook her head to clear the chaos that had just happened at her first day on the job. Freddie remained motionless for a moment or two, before he picked up my hand once more and whispered so only I could hear him, "One, I'm so proud of you, for sticking with this and not beating anyone up yet, and two, that was so hot, we should do it in every class."

I chuckled quietly, "Fredwad, we don't have every class together,"

"I know," he replied, "But I wish we did."

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><p>AN: Haha, I added the last two lines and a bit of the third last line of this chapter way after, because I wasn't happy with the ending. Now, I am. I think it's sweet and funny.


	29. Rubber Band

A/N: First R! I actually had a bit of a challenge coming up with an idea for this one, but turns out I find this chapter adorable.

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><p><strong>Rubber Band<strong>

**Carly's POV**

I'm not surprised when I walk into my own apartment and find Sam and Freddie already sitting there. It should be weird that they are in my living room when no one else is, but it's become sort of their sanctuary. For Sam, it's been her safe place since we met, and for Freddie, well, since he started dating Sam, he's needed a place to escape his mother. With Sam's lock-picking skills it's not like they need a key anyway.

"Hey, you two, what's up?" I greet them.

Sam grumbles at me but Freddie looks up with a smirk on his face, "Hey, Carly," he says.

"What's going on here?" I look from Sam's frowny-face back to the grin on Freddie's.

"Oh, I'm trying to get Sam to call me Freddie," he explains, as he drapes one arm casually around her shoulders. Sam glares at him, but doesn't speak, although she also doesn't pull away.

"How?" I ask, Sam's been calling Freddie names since the day they met, and I've often thought she put a lot of time and effort into being creative with them, even if I didn't approve of them.

Freddie gently hold up Sam's hand and points to a rubber band she has wrapped around her wrist. "Every time she calls me a name or an insulting variation of my name, she snaps the rubber band around her wrist,"

"What about if she calls you by your name?" I question as I sit down on the opposite side of Sam.

"We'll find out when she calls me by my name," Freddie finishes.

"You mean you haven't spoken?" I address Sam, now and she opens her mouth, closes it and then repeats those actions before deciding to nod.

I stifle a laugh, this is sort of cute, "Why do you want her to call her by your name anyway? You said you thought the nicknames were sort of sweet – in a Samish way,"

Freddie flushes as Sam glares at him more powerfully, "Yes, but I would like it if when Sam introduces me to her family this weekend she could say, "this is my boyfriend, Freddie," not Freddork, nub, doofus, dishrag, or anything else she can think of,"

"You're introducing him to your family?" I ask incredulously and Sam nods briefly again, "Aw, that's sweet, you must think Freddie's really important if you're introducing him to your family," _and brave_ I add in my head, and this time Sam shakes her head violently, as she realizes I'm trying to trick her into talking.

Freddie looks hurt at her motions and he places his arm back at his side but before he can say something to Sam, she speaks, "Oh stop it Fredweird! You know you're important to me," then almost as if she doesn't realize she doing it, she snaps the rubber band back with quite a bit of force, then mutters a quiet "Ow."

Freddie's face lights up and he says, "It's nice to hear,"

"Haha, you spoke," I tease Sam lightly, "You know, if you called him Freddie your life would be a lot easier,"

"I can't do it Carls!' Sam complains loudly, "It's so hard, every time I try to say Fr- his name something else comes out,"

"You can do it," Freddie encourages Sam, "I know you can,"

Sam whips her head around to look at him, "Fredweiner, you don't know anything!" Before she turns back to me, then she pales.

Pause. Snap. "Ow."

I laugh lightly, but stop when Sam shoves her arm in my face, and I look at the red welts forming on her skin, "It's so hard!" she whines again.

"Freddie, are you sure you aren't actually hurting her?" I look at my male best friend and he looks insulted for a moment.

"Of course not, Carly," he assures me, "I'd never hurt Sam, she's doing this to herself, the first time I told her not to pull so hardly the next time, but she said the harder I pull the faster I'll learn, which… actually makes sense, she can even switch the rubber band to the other wrist if she wants to,"

Sam shakes her head, "No, no, I can handle this; there are worse pains much worse,"

"Are you sure Sam?" I say.

"I'll be fine Carls," she reassures me, she pauses seeming to search for a word, "My boyfriend over there doesn't ask for much, so I'll do this for him."

Freddie looks at Sam with an expression of adoration and I am left confused once again by my two best friends. "You didn't call me anything insulting," Freddie informs Sam.

"So what are we going to do with this afternoon?" I start a new topic of conversation.

"The next iCarly's already been planned and rehearsed," Freddie reminds us.

"We know, we were there," Sam says, though I take notice she didn't call him a name again.

"So...Groovy Smoothie?" I suggest.

"I'm too tired," Sam announces, leaning back against Freddie.

"You're too lazy," Freddie corrects Sam, "But there's supposed to be a thunderstorm starting any second now,"

"Movie marathon?" I ask, "It's not a school night, so we can all be up pretty late, Sam you were gonna crash here anyway?"

"Yeah, that was my plan," Sam answers, "Movie night sounds awesome," she gets up from the couch, "I'll make some snacks… for me… you two are on your own," she heads to the kitchen.

"What movies?" Freddie asks me and Sam.

"Horror,"

"Romance,' Sam and I reply at the same time.

Freddie laughs, "Okay, how about we all choose a movie we want to watch, and then we can draw straws to see who goes first? Shortest straw goes last, longest first?"

"Sounds good to me," and Sam adds her agreement before the sound of popping corn fills the apartment and we all pick out or movie. I drew the longest straw so it's my movie, then Sam's then Freddie's.

I happily pop in the romantic comedy, and wait for Sam to place the snacks on the table, before I flick out the lights and run back to the couch. "You guys are the best," I announce at the opening credits roll, I sneak a glance at my friends and hold back an aw, Sam hates it when I gush over them.

Freddie has his arm wrapped around Sam's shoulder again, and this time she's smiling about it. She has her knees tucked up underneath her hands are tucked in between her head and Freddie's chest. I turn my attention back to the movie.

An hour and a half later and tears are streaming down my eyes at the rom-com's happy ending and the credits are rolling. Freddie looks like he sort of enjoyed the movie and even Sam is trying to hide a small smile. "That was actually kind of good," she admits, "But it's my turn now!"

"Oh gosh," Freddie mutters as Sam holds up the case for her movie. I enjoy a scary movie with Sam every once in awhile, but Freddie has been subjected to many more of them, since he and Sam started dating. Sam holds out the case with a hopeful look at me, and I smile realizing she doesn't want to move from cuddling with Freddie but is hoping her laziness will cover it up.

"Thanks Carls," Sam says after I put the DVD in and settle back into the couch. Freddie has the remote in his free hand so he hits play.

As the blood fills the screen I turn my head to look at Sam who has her eyes glued to the screen, "Ugh," Freddie mutters as he tries to brave out the gore. Freddie looks over Sam's head at me, "How does she enjoy this?" he whispers.

"I have no idea," I shake my head back.

"Shhhh!" Sam says, and we both quiet down.

After a particularly frightening scene I scream and am surprised when it's not just my scream filling the air, but also Freddie's.

Sam looks at both of us with a laugh, "Don't worry," she says adjusting herself so she can grab one of my hands and one of Freddie's, "I'll protect you two."

"Thanks Sam," I laugh now that the scary moment has past.

"I'm not scared," Freddie lies and Sam snorts.

"Whatever you say Freddie," Sam says still snickering.

The picture on the screen stills and I realize Freddie must have hit pause.

"You said Freddie," he glances at Sam with a shocked but proud look on his face.

"I did?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, you did," I confirmed.

Sam smiles then "So what do I get?" she asks eagerly.

Freddie leans down and kisses her lightly, and when they break the kiss he hits play again.

Sam leans over close to me and whispers, "If I had known that was my reward I would have started calling him Freddie ages ago,"

I laugh quietly, so Freddie doesn't hear us, "Really Sam?" I always find it nice when Sam lets her softer side show.

"Really," she repeats, "In fact…" she raises her voice, "Freddie, Freddie, Freddie!"

Freddie looks at her and quickly kisses her, one, two, three times, "Yes, Sam?" he asks finally.

"Nothing," Sam shrugs her shoulder, nonchalantly, "I've just decided I like your name,"

Why hadn't we thought of the rubber band earlier? It could have saved us a lot of trouble.

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><p>AN: Haha, Sam can totally protect Carly and Freddie from the scary movie. Also, I just feel like Sam and Freddie are so cute in this chapter, but maybe that's because Carly finds them adorable. R&R!


	30. Roller Coaster

**AN**: Let me spazz a little before the chapter.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! It means the world to me that I have 204 reviews! You have no idea how awesome it makes me feel. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thanks to everyone who has added my story to their alerts or their favourites even if you haven't reviewed. I'm just happy you read. I have never, EVER had so much good response to a fic! SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN! *deep breath* Okay, done spazzing.

Most of this chapter is set the summer before iOMG. The beginning and the end, I suppose are set right after, or between iOMG and iLost My Mind.

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><p><strong>Roller Coaster<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I had often thought that life has its ups and downs, but then I met Sam Puckett, and I thought – no, knew – life has its ups and downs, twists and turns, fast and thrilling to the point of scary moments, just like a roller coaster.

This isn't going to be a story about how my relationship with Sam (enemies? Friends? Frenemies? Something else, I don't even know where we stand anymore) can be compared metaphorically to a journey of a roller coaster. No, this is a story about a real roller coaster.

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><p>I couldn't believe my mom had let me come to this place filled with so many dangerous items and unhealthy snacks, but she had and I was excited. There were bright colors everywhere and the smell of fries and funnel cake filled the air. I was panning my travel-sized video trying to capture everything. Finally, I turned it onto Sam, Carly, and Gibby who were all smiling and joking about something.<p>

"Dude, I can't believe you've never been to an amusement park before," Gibby said, laughing.

"It's not his fault his mom is nuts," Sam said, "I mean, if she wasn't nuts he probably would've been too scared to come here anyway, but since Crazy is… well… crazy, it's not his fault,"

"Is that Sam's way of defending me?" I asked, turning the camera to focus more on Carly.

Carly threw her head back with a short laugh, "It's as close as it gets, so what first you guys?"

"ROLLER COASTER!" Sam shouted.

"Ferris Wheel?" Gibby suggested

"OR A SNACK!" Sam shouted again.

"I was thinking we could go to the 3D theatre shows, the seats move and everything, and Freddie would love it," Carly suggested.

"And I'd hate it!" Sam stomped her foot.

I stopped recording, flipping my camera shut and depositing it in my backpack, "How about a compromise?"

"Mama doesn't compromise," Sam glared at me, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Okay, what if I bribe you, then?" I offered.

"That might work," Sam bit her lip thoughtfully, "What's your idea?"

"We go to the 3D theatre show, which sounds awesome by the way Carls, and I'll buy you a snack on the way, and after we can go to the roller coaster?" I proposed.

"Okay," Sam finally said.

"I thought your mom made you sign a contract saying no roller coasters?" Carly asked me.

"What my mom doesn't know won't hurt me," I said, confidently.

"Yeah, except roller coaster are either wooden or metal death traps," Gibby said, shaking his head.

"Gibby!" I shouted I was already a little anxious about the roller coaster.

Sam was happily devouring the giant ice cream cone I had bought her as we stood in the line for the theatre. The day was hot and so Sam's ice cream was disappearing even more quickly than normal, her face getting messy. There were about five people in line in front of us and since the theatre sat around forty as soon as this session ended we would get to go in, but food wasn't allowed in the theatre.

Thankfully, that wouldn't be an issue, and I laughed as I watched (through my camera again) as Carly pulled a stack of paper napkins out of her purse, and plastered a couple to Sam's face.

"Thanks Mom," Sam said, rolling her eyes, and peeling the sticky paper off her face and wiping her mouth of with her hands.

The people poured out of the exit then, and our queue started to move forward. "Girly Cow is showing today," a voice overhead announced as we moved up the line and a cool blast of air conditioning hit us as we entered the dark building and picked up our 3D glasses.

The seats were in pairs and Gibby scrambled into one of the first one, Carly followed him into the second, and left Sam and I to fight over who sat where in the second pair. "I want the edge!"

"Sam, we're both going to have an edge, there's only two seats!" I cried slightly aggravated as the lights dimmed, "Just sit there," I pointed to the seat closer to Carly.

"No! Don't tell me what to do!" Sam yelled, scrambling up into the opposite seat.

I rolled my eyes and sat beside the blonde haired demon as the five minute movie started and the seats jolted forward.

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><p>Five minutes later we're all blinking back the sunlight as we step into the heat. "That was awesome!" I exclaimed, "Why have I never been here before?"<p>

Sam's bouncing up and down next to me, "Time for the roller coaster right?"

"Yup," Carly said, leading the way as Gibby muttered, "Wooden or metal death trap…"

"Carls, you have to sit up front with me!" Sam stated, a grin spreading across her face.

"Okay, Sam," Carly replied with a smile, until we reached the line for the roller coaster. I looked up at the huge structure with all its dips and corkscrews and loops. Carly's face fell as she also looked at the structure though her gaze was focused on something near the end of the track, "I can't do it Sam, I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What? Why not Carls?" Sam asked turning her head so quickly; she whipped me with a face full of blonde curls.

"There's a tunnel," Carly's breathing started to come out in shorter, and shorter breaths, Sam reached out and with a surprising gentleness she placed her hands on Carly's shoulders, "It's okay, Carls, I'll just go with the Gibster, and Freddie can keep his word to his mommy."

Gibby looked at me then back at Carly and Sam, "Was no one was listening to me?" He shouted, seemingly frustrated, "METAL OR WOOODEN – in this case metal – DEATH TRAPS! I'M NOT GOING ON THAT THING!"

"Fine!" Sam said, "I'll just go by myself then," and stalked off into the line-up.

Carly's eyes widened and she shook her head, "She can't go by herself!"

I glanced at Sam's back before looking back to Gibby and Carly, who looked respectively flustered and terrified. "I'll go with her," I stated, before jogging after the quickly moving blonde.

"Sam – wait up!" I shouted, and she turned back to look at me.

"Won't your mommy be mad?" Sam spat as she finally stopped and looked at me.

I shrugged, "Not if I don't tell her,"

"Getting brave, Benson?" Sam poked me in the ribcage, hard.

"Ouch," I wheezed, "Guess I am,"

The line-up moved a few feet, and I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, looking at a the text, "Carly says they'll meet us at the exit line, and then we can all head to the Ferris wheel,"

"Whatever," Sam said rolling her eyes.

"Why are you mad at me?" I asked finally, giving up on making peace with Sam.

"I'm not mad at you," She muttered, after a lengthy pause, "I just really wanted to go on this ride with Carls and her stupid… closet-phobia or whatever…"

"Claustrophobia," I corrected, and when Sam glared at me I just continued, "You're upset that Carly can't ride the roller coaster with you?"

Sam groaned, "I've never been on a roller coaster without Carly… but… ugh. It's so stupid, I know!"

I let out a cross between a laugh and a snort, "It is not stupid Sam… it's… sweet," there was a few moments of silence as I thought I saw a pink blush tinge Sam's cheek (but it had to be the heat right?) "Well… I've never been on a roller coaster before at all…"

"You have lived a very sad life then," Sam shook her head.

"I know, I've been ever so deprived," I joked, but only slightly, I mean really, what teenager hasn't been on at least one roller coaster? Then all of a sudden the line is moving faster than I realized and we're the next in line. Sam pulled me towards the very front car, and I glanced around at the height a little nervous, "Are you sure this is safe, Sam?" I asked.

"Not going to chicken out on me are you?" She questioned her voice betraying the grin on her face.

"No, no, of course not, but-"

"Relax, Fredley," Sam had cut me off, "Roller coasters are actually the safest rides in the parks,"

I smiled as Sam let that little piece of knowledge slip. She likes to pretend that she doesn't know about stuff like this – but I mean, c'mon, MPEG? seriously, underneath is all, Sam Puckett has a little bit of geek in her. The kind that knows about Moving Pictures Expert Group and how safe roller coasters are, she's truly amazing. I shook my head at the thought, as the coaster rolled up and the people who were on it before us left.

Sam climbed in quickly, reaching up and frowning when she realized she can't pull the over the shoulder safety rest down without raising her butt out of the seat a little. I followed her a little more cautiously, leaning over to snap down her restraint before I pulled the thing that was supposed to keep me safe down over my own shoulders, I prayed it worked.

I was so nervous and Sam must have been able to tell, "I'll hold your hand if you want," she teased.

"No, I'm okay," I lied, as the ride operators walk up and down, checking and double checking our restraints.

Then the rumble of the roller coaster started and it lurched forward climbing the hill. I took this moment to look at Sam while the chug-chug of the train pounded in my ears. Sam was already laughing, excited, even though the ride had barely begun, she had her arms raised above her head, blatantly ignoring the rules of safety, and her feet resting in front of her on the bottom of the car – she looked beautiful. Suddenly, we're at the crest of the hill, about to tip forward and I find myself shouting over the noise, "SAM! I WANT YOU TO HOLD MY HAND!"

Her eyes met mine in the second before we dropped to what I was sure was going to be our deaths; she grabbed my larger hand with her seemingly-tiny one and squeezed, "Just scream Freddie! And I won't let go!"

"PROMISE?" My scream is drowned out by everyone else's as we tip forward and gather speed, before completing a series of twists and turns, and my eyes shut tight for the first loop, but on the second and third I'm screaming less from my and more from joy. Then we rolled to a stop just before the tunnel – Sam's still holding my hand tightly.

"Freddie, I'd ankle-swear on it if I could!" Sam shouted, at the short pause before we were plunged into darkness and it was scary again. This time we couldn't see the twists and turns and the only lights came from the strobe light – once illuminating a goblin-like creature. Sam's laughs and screams filled my ears as they mixed with the sound of my own shouts until we are silenced when the ride stopped back where it started and the safety gear unlocked and I automatically lifted Sam's over her head for her. We clambered out the opposite side that we had come in from and wandered down the path before I realized our hands were still joined.

I pulled away, awkwardly clearing my throat, "Sorry," I said.

"It's fine," Sam grinned, "I promised I wouldn't let go,"

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><p>It was later that day, on the ferris wheel, when I reached for Sam's hand, almost unconsciously, before stopping myself that I realized that I might just like Sam Puckett as more than just a frienemy. It would be almost a whole school year before I even considered the notion again (simply because <em>Sam<em> couldn't like _me_). Or so I thought anyway.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Okay – so I want to describe where I got the inspiration for the 2 rides featured in detail in this chapter. There's a place called Canada's Wonderland about twenty minutes from where I live, and it is an awesome amusement park.

It used to be called Paramount Canada's Wonderland and had a whole section of Nickelodeon section (they no longer do because Paramount doesn't own it anymore) and there was a theatre like the one in this fic that showed an episode of Spongebob in amazing 3D and the seats moved and stuff and it was a ton of fun.

The roller coaster is a combination two roller coasters also from Wonderland. They may be called something else now, but they were previously called Dragon Fire and Thunder Run. The Thunder Run goes through a mountain – all strobe lights and flashing and even a scary goblin creature, and Dragon Fire is two loops and a corkscrew kind of roller coaster.

That's far too long of an AN for the end of this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed and R&R!


	31. Rainbow

**AN: **I am absolutely in love with this chapter. I figured sine it is the 30th chapter (I don't count the first chapter because it's just the list of prompts) I should do something special. And who's more special than Gibby? Absolutely no one.

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><p><strong>Rainbow<strong>

**Gibby's POV**

I'm a pretty happy dude. A lot of things make me smile.

Dancing makes me smile. I love the way the music beats into my body, causing me to move in ways I didn't even know I could.

Being on iCarly makes me laugh. Sam and Carly are hilarious and Freddie is a cool guy, and Spencer is wonderful (even if he did date my mom).

Having friends gives joy to my life; I couldn't imagine a world without Freddie, Spencer, Carly or Sam. So if I smile a lot, it's because I have a lot for be thankful for.

Nature makes me happy too. Something beautiful is always around. Sometimes you have to look for it.

In the rainy days of Seattle I especially love something that's so rare here. I love when the sun peeks out (sometimes for the first time in weeks) it creates something so magical. The bands of color streaked across the sky – a rainbow brings happiness to everyone.

So those are the things that make me happy, but there's one amazing example of happiness that I just want to explain and I'm not sure how they haven't noticed it, when I of all people have noticed it, and I'm Gibby.

It's Sam and Freddie. Not just Sam, and not just Freddie, but when they are together, whether they're just hanging out arm wrestling or she has him pinned to the floor (I'm pretty sure he's letting her win these days, at least at arm wrestling). They share looks, finish each other's sentence; often speak at the same time. It's them together; it just… oozes pure happiness.

Not that I've often seen them apart, but the few times I've been with just the girls, Sam has seemed… quieter. Not much, she's still louder than most people, still cracks jokes and laughs, but without her number one target there it seems like she doesn't tease anymore, doesn't hit, no name calling occurs.

I mean, I used to be tied with Freddie for a number one target, but after a situation which I am sure Sam has never told anyone and I've also kept to myself, she's stopped picking on me, and only called me either Gibby or the Gibster (WHICH IS AWESOME).

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><p><em>I was headed out of the Groovy Smoothie on my way home when I heard an unmistakable shout. It was Sam and I turned around to look for her. On the side of the street in front of our favorite hangout is Sam, barely visible as someone has her pinned against their parked car.<em>

_Sam's teeth are bared and she's kicking, biting and screaming, fighting valiantly and she's strong but she looked terrified, an expression I have never seen on her face, because the extremely large and heavily tattooed man has her wrists pinned above her head, and he's not letting go. _

_Before I even knew what I was doing I had barreled my smaller, but thicker, body into the man who held Sam. I knocked him sideways with the force of the blow, winding both of us but freeing Sam. Suddenly Sam and I are back to back, fighting as a team, incredibly in synch without any practice, and Sam isn't scared anymore, only furious and within ten seconds the guy is knocked out and we're both running._

_I waited until we are several blocks away before I shouted at her, "You're an idiot!" we come to a stand-still, both of us panting and then Sam's feet are planted shoulder-width apart and her arms are crossed in front of me, her bottom lip pushed out defiantly, daring me to say more._

_I have no idea what had come over me, but I squared my shoulders and continued to yell, "What would Carly think?"_

_Sam looked offended, "She knew where I was and with who," she spat, but I ignored her to continue my rant._

"…_out with a guy like that… probably drunk or high… did he just get out of jail? I can't even imagine what Freddie-" I cut myself off, because Sam has visibly flinched at his name._

_All of a sudden, I understood the rude and tattooed, leather-jacketed punk and why Sam had been with him. She had been with him because he didn't remind her of Freddie, and then I'm not angry anymore and I find myself wrapping Sam into a big Gibby hug, surprised when she folds her arms up around me, squeezing tightly back, and her face is buried in my shirt and I swore I felt tears, but when she pulled away she was the picture of perfect calm, whispering the words I'd never thought I'd live to hear, "Thanks Gibby," and I'm not sure if she's thanking me for the back-up or for the hug or both, but I still find myself answering._

"_Anytime, Sam," and I meant it._

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><p>Freddie alone from Sam is different too. I spend more time with just him, especially when he feels he needs some serious guy time. I don't blame him. Carly and Sam are both amazing, but sometimes a dude just needs to be a dude.<p>

Freddie spends his time away from Sam talking about her. I don't think he even realizes it, because I am not one to point things out, but he claimed she's not even his friends and states he hates her near to a thousand times. He complains about the latest pranks she's pulled on him while devising a new way to get back at her and he bristles anytime he hears anyone talk rudely about Sam.

He used to be this way about Carly, constantly gushing about how pretty she was and what nice thing she did today, but over the years it's changed and I almost never hear her name unless it's a "Sam and Carly," sentence.

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><p><em>There's an angry sounding knock on my door and I opened it to reveal a very ticked off Freddie – with purple hair. I'm about to ask for an explanation when he growled, "Sam," as an explanation.<em>

_Luckily I know where my mother has kept all of my grandfather's old hair stuff, including dye. I led Freddie into the bathroom, peered into the medicine cabinet and then underneath the sink before I found a shade that would both correct the orange and restore Freddie's hair to practically its natural shade._

_We spend the next hour in a very girly fashion and while we're waiting for the dye to set, Freddie sitting on the edge of the bathtub, and me seated on the counter, resting my feet on the closed toilet seat. Freddie muttered over and over, "I hate Sam, I hate Sam, I hate Sam,"_

_I cocked an eyebrow, "Do you really hate her?"_

_There was a bit of a pause before Freddie answered, "No, she's my…" he trailed off shrugging his shoulders, "She's Sam," he finished, with a small grin._

"_Have any idea on how to get her back this time?" I asked._

_Freddie launched into the revenge his mind had probably started planning the moment he looked into the mirror and realized his hair was purple._

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><p>See what I mean? When they're apart from each other all they can think about is the other person. Sam hid it better until I accidentally called her out on it. Freddie doesn't realize he does it. Doesn't realize how he truly feels about the blonde haired girl that forced herself into his life. They're both so blind. They can't see past the storms in their minds in order to create a rainbow with each other.<p>

It doesn't take a genius to see what they have between them. It takes a Gibby.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong>First, I love the flashback scene between Gibby and Sam. It's amazing. They rock together. Second, writing from Gibby's POV was both surprisingly easy and amazingly awesome, I may do more R&R!


	32. Project

**AN: Gibby got awesome reviews. I'll definitely consider another Gibby POV chapter.**

**Summary: Sam still has the same insecurities even after her and Freddie have been dating for awhile.**

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><p><strong>Project<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I had to sneak into Freddie's college dorm room, it was easy enough. Simply act casual in the hallway, then pick the lock on the door and slip inside, relocking it. I had texted him telling him to expect a surprise this weekend, yet he had no idea I was his surprise. Visiting Seattle for the weekend was easy, even if it had meant traveling from New York to Seattle to see him. Despite what I say about the dork, I do love and miss him – sometimes.

I glance around the room, he may have traded his Galaxy War stamped sheets for plain blue ones, but the room still screams Freddie. There's is a Galaxy War poster, instead of the sheets, and on the bookshelf books that all fall into the sci-fi category and techy stuff crowding the top two shelves.

On his desk is a clear space where he must put the laptop he brings to class with him, and surrounding the clear space is a bunch on projects and in one corner a calendar. Monday has a project due for his creative writing class (God knows why he took a writing class, but I suppose everyone needs electives). I glance backwards to today, Friday, and realize that Freddie has written type the same project for today, and then scrawled underneath that is call Sam which makes me smile The title of the project intrigues me and after a quick search of the desk I find the assignment.

_My First Love_

_We met in sixth grade._

I smile. Check, that's me.

_She was so nice._

Wait, what?

_She had dark brown hair, straight, hanging past her shoulders and big brown eyes._

My heart wrenches painfully as I read the familiar description of my best friend.

_I once saved her life._

I blink back the memory of Freddie pushing Carly back, the taco truck catching him instead.

_I was young, and I was in love…_

I don't read the rest as tears prick my eyes. This is not something that Sam Puckett would normally cry over. But it's just that… Carly won again. This was an old wound reopened, Freddie had said it had just been a crush that he didn't know what love was until I smacked him over the head with it.

I sit down on the bed becoming angrier as each minute passes, charted by the digital alarm clock that sits on Freddie's desk, the papers still clutched in my hands.

Suddenly there's a click as the door unlocked and Freddie entered, glancing quickly around the room and spotting me, "Sam!" he shouts happily as a smile appears on his face, as he rushes over to hug me. As his arms wrap around me and he leans in to kiss me, I turn my head to his lips hit my cheek instead.

"What's wrong?" he asked, placing one hand under my chin and tilting my face up, so I'm forced to meet his eyes.

I grip the papers in front of me tighter, fingers threatening to punch holes through it. "You lied," is all I say.

Freddie looks confused and he starts to say, "I've never lied to you," when he spots what I've been holding since he came into the room. Then he starts to laugh and I dropped the papers and slap him, how dare he?

He raises his hand to the sore spot on his face, and rubs it tenderly before speaking quietly, "You didn't finish it did you?"

I shook my head, afraid speaking again will betray how upset I really feel.

He climbs off of the bed to retrieve the paper and settles back in before clearing his throat.

"I don't want to hear it," I mumble, crossing my arm, and scooting as far away I can on the tiny bed (not far).

"Yes, you do," Freddie insists, starting to read, again from the beginning, "_My First Love. We met in sixth grade. She was so nice. She had dark brown hair straight, hanging past her shoulders and big brown eyes .I once saved her life. I was young, and I was in love with a girl name Carly Shay."_

I stand up from the bed and start walking towards the door, "That's all I needed to hear, don't bother calling Freddie,"

"Sam, wait," he calls, rushing past me to block the only exit.

"Don't think I won't beat you up," I growl at him.

"Can you just… listen to the rest?" He almost begs.

I can't say no to him so instead I say, "You've got five minutes,"

"It won't take that long," he assures and takes another deep breath, "_I met another girl in sixth grade. She was awful to me. She had blonde curls and blue eyes. She once saved me from making the biggest mistake of my life. I tried to hate Sam Puckett but I couldn't. We had been enemies and slowly merged into friends. _

_But it wasn't until one night, at a school lock in that I realized I had no idea what love was all about. She did, Sam knew what love was like. Even worse she knew what unrequited love was like, I had thought that I was the only one who knew what rejection felt like (Carly never truly returned the crush I had on her). Sam was in love with me, and I was pining after her best friend. She stayed friends with both of us anyway, because she loved us both._

_It took me a long time after that lock-in to accept the fact that the girl who was supposed to hate me actually loved me. It took me even longer to realize that I was in love with her as well. I was young, barely a teenager, when I fell in love with Carly Shay… or when I thought I fell in love with Carly Shay. I was still young when I fell, almost an adult, in love with Sam Puckett… the first and only girl I'll ever love."_

I have never felt so stupid in my entire life. I can't believe I made such a fool out of myself in front of Freddie. My mouth open and closed, also stupidly. Then Freddie's arms around my waist, pulling me tightly to him and I'm gripping his shoulders standing on my tiptoes to kiss him. "I love you too," I say once we pull away, "I… overreacted, and I'm sorry,"

Freddie smiles down at me; his arms still wrapped around me and says, "You ever notice that our really important kisses always seem to be accompanied by apologies?"

"That's weird," I reply as I recall our first kiss and our second kiss and every kiss we've had after a fight.

"Yeah," Freddie nods in agreement, kissing my forehead, "But if it was normal, it just wouldn't be us now would it?"

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><p><strong>AN: Haha, actually usually ends up with SAM apologizing, but I figured if they've been dating for awhile, Freddie's probably messed up to. R&amp;R!<strong>


	33. Prank

**AN: Check out my new short fic, Disgusting, Heavily Tattooed or On Parole. It's only 3 chapters and Sam-centric, but plenty of Sam-Carly friendship, Spencer-Sam friendship and a good dose of Gibby-Sam friendship, plus a pinch of Freddie.**

**Summary:**"This is the first guy that Sam's liked who's not disgusting... or heavily tattooed... or on parole." BEFORE iOMG. It's not fair that she loves him when he loves her best friend... but..there are plenty of other fish in the sea - too bad they all stink.

**Now that I'm done shamelessly promoting myself, here's a summary for this chapter which is set before iOMG but after iGet Pranky.**

**Freddie and Sam have always been at war. But when a prank goes too far, maybe it's time to end things – things like their very screwed up friendship.**

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><p><strong>Prank<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

This was all Sam. It screamed Sam, and while it was harmless (didn't hurt one bit) this prank did make me irritated. I clicked through my folder dedicated for school, to open an assignment that I needed to print out and found all my folders renamed.

_Benson'sSecretStash  
>Videos of Me and My Mom Making Puzzles<br>Reasons Why I am a Dork  
>Reasons Why I Am Behind The Camera<br>Love Notes From Gibby_

I click on each folder, sighing in relief when I find that the contents of each folder haven't been touched. Completely forgetting about the homework, I set to work fixing the folders and giving them their proper names once more. Finally I stumbled across a new folder.

_How to Get Back at Sam for Renaming My Folders_

I laughed as I clicked open that folder. It contained only one file, a photo. I click on the photo and realize it's a picture of Sam. She's sticking her tongue out at the camera and holding out a sign that reads, _You Can't – Mama Always Wins. _

It's true. My pranks never seem to win (I mean, I once handcuffed her to Gibby and we all know how that turned out) but it doesn't mean I won't try to get her back. Sam's clever, but I still think that maybe this time I'll be able to get her good. After all, even Carly (with the help of Spencer) pulled a prank on Sam and me. So, I should be able to get back at Sam, it's just going to take some planning.

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><p>I watched inside the Groovy Smoothie and as soon as I saw the telltale sign of blonde curls, I planted the weapon.<p>

A $50 bill just outside the doors, approaches it, looks at it for a few moments before reaching down to pick it up. She does the unthinkable next, walks in and asks, "Anyone drop a $50?" when they all shake their head, she heads to the counter, "T-Bo, I'd like to buy an extra large strawberry splat,"

T-Bo prepares her order then takes the $50 and looks at it. "I can't take this," T-Bo says.

"Why not?" Sam asks rather rudely.

"It's fake," T-Bo quickly points out something on the bill that Sam hadn't noticed before.

She visibly pales and says, "I can't be caught with that! I swear I just found it outside!"

T-Bo looks at Sam skeptically, he's heard her brag about her less than legal talents more than once and he says, "It's not the first time you've been caught with a counterfeit bill?"

Sam shakes her head, "But I didn't know it was fake!"

T-Bo looks doubtful, and I am starting to feel bad.

"I am going to have to ask you not to leave the premises," T-Bo tells her, "I'm calling the police,"

And suddenly I'm running out from my hiding spot and just as T-Bo reaches for the phone I'm knocking it out of his hands. "Don't T-Bo, it's just a prank, all my fault, if you still want to call the police I'll take responsibility for it,"

"Freddie Benson, did you know this bill was fake?" T-Bo asks me.

"No," I decide to lie quickly, "It was supposed to be real and attached to a string but Sam was to quick for me."

T-Bo nods shortly, "If this bill came from your wallet, I'm going to let you both go, be more careful with the money though next time," and with that T-Bo rips up the fake $50 and throws it in the trash.

Sam is looking longingly at the extra large smoothie still sitting on the counter, but not saying a word. Guilt-ridden, I reach into my pocket and take out my wallet – placing a $5 bill (real) on the counter and telling T-Bo to keep the change. Sam grabs the smoothie, eyeing me suspiciously and then we both exit our favourite hang out together.

"You made that bill," Sam says when the noise on the streets muffles our conversation.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"You were doing your guilty dance, it always looks like you have to take a whazz when you lie," Sam explains.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I never thought that T-Bo would threaten to call the police," I explain.

"That doesn't make it better," Sam informs me. I look at her, really? She wasn't going to take a joke.I took most of her jokes in stride. Sam was being eerily quiet, a sure sign she was actually pissed off at me not just wanting to pick a fight. It's silent for a few moments before Sam adds, "You know I'm on parole!" volume rising violently.

My jaw drops, I had forgotten that Sam was on parole. She continues to shout, "It would have been your fault if I'd had to go back to juvy! And with the sentence I would have gotten for producing counterfeit money, I'd be transferred to a real jail the moment I turned 18, I can't believe you would take a prank so far Benson, you're lucky that I didn't rat you out," she picks up her speed then, and takes the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator by the time I've reached the lobby of Bushwell.

I dash up the 8 floors of stairs taking them two at a time, I knock on 8-C. And Carly swings open the door looking furious, "It's your fault that Sam nearly got arrested?" she shouts flinging her arms into the air dramatically.

I nod solemnly, "Listen- I'm really-"

Carly cuts me off, "You know what, Sam, for the first time in years is days away from being off parole? You know what kind of jeopardy you put her in? This could have affected her permanent record!"

When Carly shrieks she reaches pitches only dogs can hear, I swear. "You're lucky I don't tell your mother!" Carly finally spits, out-of-breath.

"Listen, can I talk to Sam? I just want to apologize, I had no idea that I could get her in so much trouble," I try.

"No!" Carly shouts, but then Sam appears, gently shoving Carly out of the way, "Talk Benson,"

"I'm sorry," I start again, and Sam just raises her eyebrows in a not-good-enough-way, "you know, I'd never get you in trouble on purpose,"

"Half your life has been trying to get me in trouble," She counters.

"Fine, I'd never turn you over to the police," I say, "I don't want you to go to jail Sam,"

"You hate me, and with me out of the way you'd have Carly all to yourself," Sam states.

"Really Sam?" I ask frustrated, "You really think that's how it's going to go? No. I'd turn myself in before I ever let anything bad happen to you!"

"You hate me," she repeats.

"That's complete and utter chizz Sam, you and I both know we don't hate each other, no matter how much we might pretend to!" I raise my voice to accompany my point.

Sam just glares, so I continue, "You are one of my best friends! You're my insane, infuriating, annoying best friend! And I would be upset if you were arrested especially if it was my fault! Actually scratch that, I wouldn't let you be arrested, I would've come clean and dealt with the consequences!"

"Ha!" Carly shouts from nearby Sam "I told you he was your friend!"

Sam grins lightly and opens the door allowing me entrance, "That's all I needed to hear, really, I'm not mad anymore, you nub,"

"We should call a prank truce," I suggest, "No more pranks against each other?"

Sam considers it for a moment, "It might make sense…I mean… you're the only one I know who actually pranks me back."

Carly looks at us with a bewildered expression on her face, "You two aren't going to prank each other?"

Sam nods and I offer a "Yeah,"

"Wow," Carly breathes, "I never thought I'd see the day where you two would come to some sort of peace treaty,"

"It's not a peace treaty," Sam disagrees, "I'm still going to call him names, make fun of him and occasionally beat him up,"

"I wouldn't expect anything less," I say, "We'll still quarrel daily and never want to do the same thing, but no more pranks?" I stretch my hand out in front of me.

Sam licks her hand and shakes mine, "No more pranks,"

Carly sighs, "Well, it's a start,"

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><p><strong>AN: Also Happy Canada Day (tomorrow) to all those Canadians, (including me)! So don't forget to check out my new fic and R&amp;R!<strong>


	34. Poster

**AN: Okay, this chapter came out pronto, because I absolutely loved the episode that is clearly referenced below. I don't want to spoil it. I'm just going to say, the poster has very little to do with this story.**

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><p><strong>Poster<strong>

He catches her staring at the poster almost wistfully. When he questions her about it, she just shrugs and mumbles something incoherently, before walking away. Freddie reads the poster after she's left. Another pageant, right here, in Seattle, did Sam really want to do it? He tries to think back, wondering if she had even competed the last time. If she had, had she won? He feels like a jerk when he can't remember if there was a crown on her head and a smile on her face.

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><p>Later Freddie embarrasses himself by confessing to Carly he really hadn't been paying attention that night. Carly rolls her eyes clearly remembering and says, "Yeah, she won, you could've at least said congratulations."<p>

"But, I thought you were competing!" Freddie objects, a little less than rationally as he vaguely remembers Carly had called and informed Spencer of the change a little before their dates arrived and that stupid game started.

Carly just stares at him. "Man, I'm a jerk," Freddie finally says, and isn't surprised when Carly nods along with him. "How can I make it up to her?"

"Boys," Carly sighs, "Freddie, I think it's pretty obvious,"

"Okay, I'll go, front and center, she is entering this pageant isn't she?" Freddie confirms.

Carly nods once more, before Freddie asks, "What's her talent, competitive eating?"

Carly throws a look that could kill at him and he raises his hands in a silent apology, "Sorry, sorry, so what is it actually?"

"You're just going to have to find out when you show up aren't you?" Carly says with a sly grin.

* * *

><p>Freddie slips into his front row seat, as promised, wondering what Sam's reaction will be when she notices him here. He knows Carly is backstage being her best friend and mother-figure. Freddie quickly flips through the paper programme he holds in his hands, "Introductions, Question and Answer Round, and Talent Portion," he reads quietly to himself, and finds himself thinking once again about what Sam's talent could possibly be. Then the lights dim and the curtains open.<p>

There are about 20 girls lined up on the stage, but it takes Freddie less than a second to find Sam. She's in a dark green strapless dress with silver embellishments across the sweetheart necking it reaches the floor and Freddie can see just a peep of black shoes and toe from underneath the skirt. Her blonde curls are mostly loose, with her bangs swept to one side and the different shades shimmering under the stage lights.

The girls start their introductions but Freddie has eyes only for Sam. She hasn't noticed him yet, too busy concentrating on smiling and step, step, don't fall, introduce yourself, "Hi, I'm Sam Puckett, and in my spare time, I co-host the most amazing web show ever, iCarly!" Then Sam's eyes meet his and for a fraction of her second her smile falters and is replaced by a look of shock, and then he's clapping and cheering, "Yay Sam!" and her smile is back and she's turning (perfectly) and leaving the stage.

* * *

><p>Backstage Sam is grinning like an idiot when she's not stuffing her mouth with fried chicken, "Carly, Freddie's here, did you know about this?"<p>

"Nooo," Carly lies badly and Sam rolls her eyes at her best friend's attempt to deceive her.

"Why is he here?" Sam asks through a mouthful of food.

"He may have asked about it and called himself a jerk for the last time," Carly admits, "Now get out there and answer those questions… for the children,"

"For the children," Sam repeats heading out onto the stage.

* * *

><p>Freddie speculates how Sam will answer the Q&amp;A round because he knows these people don't want real answer just stuff about world hunger and Sam's never really been one to keep her opinions to herself.<p>

Therefore he's surprised when Sam is asked a question and she redirects her question answering, "While that is an important issue, I believe that if everyone works together that we can end world hunger…" there's a slight pause before she continues, "for the children!"

The crowd erupts into cheers and Freddie claps right along with them although he can't help the chuckles that are escaping him. She meets his eyes once more, this time her grin widening before she leaves the stage.

* * *

><p>When it's Sam's turn for the talent portion of the competition Freddie still hasn't figured out what her talent could possibly be. He doesn't expect music to start playing and when the spotlight illuminates the stage he drops his jaw at how gorgeous she looks and darn, he did not know she could dance.<p>

Her dress is short-sleeved and dark blue, sparkles scattered on it like stars, appropriate for the song he notes. Sam has her tap shoes on and this time it's just her on that stage in a routine she choreographed all by herself, and she dances with such passion that Freddie starts clapping halfway through and doesn't stop.

When her solo ends and Sam takes her bow, out of breath, Freddie stands for her. Sam smiles as she looks out at the crowd, it may not be a standing ovation but it's definitely a start. She blows a kiss into the audience before running off stage in a dance-step he can't name, and for a moment he thinks she might have directed the kiss at him, but that's impossible.

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><p>The three finalists stand together, two of them gripping each other's hands tightly and wishing fake luck to one another. Sam stands a step apart, calmly awaiting the announcement. "And third place goes to Mary Winston!" The girl in the black dress looks disappointed as she accepts the ribbon before stomping off the stage.<p>

Sam looks at the other girl now, wondering if she even stood a chance, who wins a beauty pageant twice in a row? Not girls like her that's for sure. Second place is made for girls like her.

"And the winner is…" there is a dramatic pause and a drum roll, "Sam Puckett!" and the other girl bursts into tears as Sam pumps her fists in the air and smiles the biggest and brightest smile Freddie has ever seen. The crown is placed atop her blonde curls and all of the contestants come out for one final bow.

* * *

><p>Freddie sneaks backstage and finds Carly and Sam wrapped up in a hug, Carly happily exclaiming over Sam's most recent win, "I'm so proud of you!" she gushes. Freddie clears his throat to announce his presence and his two best friends turn and look at him.<p>

"Congratulations Puckett," he smiles at her, "You deserve first place, you were amazing, I had no idea you could dance," he opens his arms to her, doubting that she'll accept the hug.

She surprises him for the umpteenth time that day when she throws herself into his arms and squeezes him tightly, "You came!" she squeals excitedly.

Freddie laughs because he's never heard her hit quite that pitch before and her smile is just so contagious, "Figured I better, especially after the last time,"

Sam adjusts her new crown as she pulls away (he hadn't even noticed she was still in his arms), "Yeah, you were a total dishrag last time,"

"Ah, the eloquent words of the pageant winner," Freddie teases, finding himself immensely pleased when she rolls her eyes at him.

Carly announces then that they should all go out to celebrate and Sam asks where, and Carly suggests one of Sam's favorite restaurants.

"Excellent choice," Sam agrees, "Just let me get out of this dress and into my jeans, I know I look hot but I need to be comfortable for those all you can eat ribs."

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><p>Spencer picks them up and offers to pay for the dinner, and also properly congratulates Sam this time. As they are finishing up their meals, Freddie locks eyes with Sam. She still has her crown on though it is tilted to one side, and she's wearing just a pair of old jeans and her Bacon Farm penny tee, rib sauce is covering her face and Freddie can't help but think she's still the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.<p>

"Take a picture Benson, it'll last longer," she snaps and he realizes he was staring at her.

"I was just wondering how many wet naps we should ask the waiter for," he quips, once again, glad that Sam is still the same: rude, messy and full of surprises.

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><p><strong>AN: Let me tell you now, how excited I was when I learnt a tap dance was going to be on iCarly. First, I am a dancer and tap has always been my favourite and my best class. I love it, and I love that Sam can tap dance. R&amp;R!<strong>


	35. Pointless

**AN: Haha, I was originally going to try and write a humor-filled chapter. That didn't happen. Oh well, nothing ever turns out quite the way I expect it too. I actually like this better.**

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><p><strong>Pointless<strong>

Carly Shay does not understand her two best friends. She loves them both, very much, but she just doesn't get them. They've been dating for about six months now, but except for that week before the lock-in, Sam treats Freddie just the way she always has and vice versa. They fight and call each other by their last names and brawl and don't even act like a couple in public, "It's so pointless for you two to pretend you don't love each other," Carly informs them one day.

They both roll their eyes before ignoring her and continuing on with their argument of the day and she wonders why she even bothers speaking sometimes. Sam and Freddie really do love Carly Shay, she's the best friend you could ever ask for, but she just doesn't understand them. They do understand each other however.

Carly doesn't hear the thinly veiled compliments that Sam tries to pass off as insult. Freddie knows that geek means smart and that her versions of his names are really just terms of endearment. He recognizes that when she picks a verbal fight with him he doesn't do what most boys would do just to appease their girlfriends, agree. In fact, they very rarely agree on anything, unless it has to do with MMA, and really, he knows Sam's usually right about those kinds of things.

Sam likes that Freddie is honest with her. She loves that he has his own opinions and isn't afraid to stand up for himself (at least not anymore). She's glad that's he's honest with her and isn't afraid to point out her flaws but accepts her as who she is, hey, she tried to pretend she was perfect and prissy once before, and that didn't really work out well for her. Besides it's not like Freddie's perfect.

Freddie realizes that when Sam tackles him and tries (and usually succeeds) to pin him, in the middle of the school hallway that it's her form of PDA. Sam's not the type to kiss and snuggle in front of her locker, which suits Freddie fine; he much prefers the private kisses that he steals in front of Sam's house or in the Shay's living room.

They both understand why the third Sunday in June is the worst day of the year. Carly is always happy when that day rolls around, and well they don't resent Carly for eagerly awaiting to be able to call her Dad on that day, they don't want to sit around with her either. Carly's dad may be absent, but at least he still calls, at least he still cares.

Sam's dad left when she and Melanie were three. Promising their mom that he'd be back in a few days, with his job he often had to be away for days at a time, although Sam never really found out what his job was. She's always suspected it was something illegal. He broke his promise to his wife and left her with two little children at home. Every day he's gone, Pam sinks deeper and deeper into her bottles of alcohol, soon the glass containers litter the house. Still he doesn't come back and Sam never breaks a promise now. Sam's not even sure if he's alive or dead.

Freddie doesn't even know who his father is. Doesn't even know his name, most people assume his father's name was Benson and so still call his mother Mrs. Benson. She doesn't correct them, but Benson is her maiden name. She's never been married. Marissa Benson had parents who just didn't care about her interests, only theirs, and other than being forced to fence she was pretty much ignored. So she rebelled, rebelled and made a mistake, and now all she has is Freddie, and she's determined to be a better parent than hers ever were. She wants to make sure that nothing ever hurts him. So, Freddie doesn't know his father's (because he'll sure as hell never be a dad) name and the closest thing he has to a father figure is Spencer.

Sam and Freddie have that much in common at least; slightly insane mothers because of the lack of father-figures in their kid's life. They may show it in different ways, Pam Puckett appearing not to care and Marissa Benson caring just a little too much. So, they comprehend the need to spend that stupid June weekend in their own houses, making sure that their mothers are okay.

So, they argue every day. Freddie also tells Sam he loves her every day, something she's not used to hearing but needs to hear. So they fight, wrestling each other and getting injured or dirty, but Sam lets him win, lets him know that he is capable of doing things for himself (even though she really could crush him). So Sam calls him names, in return he gets to tease her for the things he finds adorable about her. Like how she crinkles her nose when she's concentrating, or how she always seems irritated by her blonde mane but refuses to wear it a ponytail like any sensible person would.

It works for them, and Carly Shay might not ever understand it, she may even call it pointless, but to Sam and Freddie every word and action made perfect sense.

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><p><strong>AN: Yay. Sam and Freddie fluff. Also deals with the absent father figures in their life. My reasons for believing Freddie has his mother's last name comes from iFence, the Fencin' Bensons are HER side of the family, not Freddie's fathers. So, yeah… R&amp;R!<strong>


	36. Picture

**Okay fun chapter to write. Mostly because I actually get to write about Melanie. She's always been a favorite for me to write about.**

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><p><strong>Picture<strong>

**Sam's POV**

Fredward could really be persistent when he wanted to. I know, I'm supposed to love him and all but sometimes he is just so irritating. Why does he care about this so much anyway? It's really not that big of a deal, and yeah, I agreed to date him (well, actually I crashed my lips onto his face then waited about a month for him to ask me out) but now and then I really wonder why.

"Please, Sam?" He practically begs, "You saw mine before we were even dating!"

I laugh at how ridiculously wrong that statement sounds before shaking my head, "Not my fault, your mom showed me,"

"Um, yes your fault," He argues, "You clamped your hand over my mouth so I couldn't protest or stop her, if I do recall,"

I laugh again as he continues, "I bet you were adorable,"

"Of course I was adorable," I immediately retort, "I'm still adorable!"

"So, why don't you want to show me?" he persists.

"Ugh, fine!" I finally give in, "I'll show you tomorrow, but there's nowhere near as many as your Mom has,"

"Why not?" Freddie asks, as I glare at him. Eventually, he lets it go.

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><p>I spend the night searching for the stuff Freddie wants and putting it all into an old thing I've found around my seriously disorganized house, that's actually made for this. Each item brings back memories, some good, some bad, but I enjoy the task that seems almost school-like anyway.<p>

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><p>The next day, I meet Freddie at his apartment, knocking on the door and hoping his mother isn't home. Let's just say that Mrs. Benson is still not my favorite person and she had not originally reacted well to the news that we were dating. She may have accepted me in the long run, but it doesn't mean we look forward to seeing each other.<p>

I let out a small sigh as Freddie opens the door, "Hey Sam, come on in,"

"Hello, dork," I push past him and flop onto his couch, Mrs. Benson has a strict "No girls in Freddie's room since he dated that Sassypants who was always breaking his heart," rule.

He sits next to me and says, "Let me see!" with a smile, gesturing to what I have clasped between my arms.

I hand him the black photo album, silently, and Freddie opens it and gasps as he points to the first picture, "They are two of you!" he exclaims.

I observe the photo he's looking at with a small laugh, the stars of the shot are two very young babies, wrapped in pink (ugh) blankets with different colored hats on, "No, no, there's only one of me," I take a closer look and say, "That one is Melanie," pointing to the one of the right side of the photograph.

Freddie's jaw drops and he whispers, "She's real!"

"Obviously," I roll my eyes at him and turn the page. They are two clearly blonde one-year-olds, identically dressed, and looking at each other. The only visible difference between the two girls is one has her hair in a tiny ponytail that sticks straight up, I point her out, "That's Melanie,"

Freddie is still staring at the picture in awe, "How can you tell?"

"Mom always put her hair in a ponytail, that's how she told us apart, and eventually, it became a habit, Melanie still wears her hair up all the time," I explain.

"And you almost never do," Freddie realizes, running a finger over the protective plastic that covers the pictures, "You were adorable," he smiles.

"Wait until you see the next one," I smirk, "You might not think so,"

Freddie flips the page eagerly and bursts out laughing. "Now, even without the hairstyles I could figure out which one is you and which one is Mel."

We're two years old in this picture and even though were still dressed the same and identical except for the ponytail and loose curls. My arm is tugging on said ponytail and Melanie's face is scrunched up in a frown and the two-year-old me is clearly smiling. "So, you were a nightmare even back then?"

"Haha," I fake-laugh, "But yeah, always was the trouble maker. Melanie was always the good girl," I motion for Freddie to go to the next photo.

It's the only family photo that can still be found around my house. Mom has destroyed every other photo with him in it. This one must have been taken just before he left, Melanie and I look like we're about 3, maybe a little younger, and we're at the foreground of the picture, sitting next to each other. Melanie looks all prim and proper, but I have a large grass stain on the hem of my dress and what looks like mud in my hair. Melanie's got an angelic little smile on her face but I'm pouting clearly bored. Our parents stand behind us, my Dad's hand on my shoulder and disappearing beneath some of my then-shoulder-length curls, my Mom's hand rests on Melanie's shoulder, being gently grazed by the tip of Melanie's side-ponytail. We're all smiling and looking like a happy family – which we were, back then. Then Dad left, followed soon after by Melanie and her fancy boarding school scholarship. It's just me and Mom these days, except for the occasional two-day visit and once-a-month phone called from my twin.

Freddie's staring at the picture with an expression on his face that I just can't explain. He's only ever heard me speak of my dad in one or two short clipped sentences that half the time I don't even realize I've said until it's too late to take it back.

My Dad doesn't look like me, both Mel and I took after Mom in her golden days (before the plastic surgery, drinks and "happy pills"), with the blonde hair and the blue eyes, but Dad is (was?) a good looking. He has red hair and big green eyes, he's tall, (damn him, why couldn't I get that gene? I barely clear the five foot line) and he has a little bit of ginger stubble grazing his chin. The photo is the only proof to my fading memories that he was once real.

Freddie's still silently studying the photo, and I long for him to make a comment on it. Finally, he turns so we can face each other, and says, "Smile," to me.

I raise my eyebrows, "Why?"

"Just do it?" He tries again.

"Don't tell me what to do Benson," I cross my arms in front of my chest.

Freddie sighs, "Please?"

He'll never shut up if I don't do what he says so instead I look at his pleading face, and remember the first time we kissed as a couple (and I mean as a couple, not on the fire escape, and not at the school lock-in), and I feel a smile forming on my face.

Freddie looks at me then back down to the photo album, and grins, "You have your Dad's smile," he informs me.

"Do I?" I ask, I've never noticed, let's be honest, how often does a person look at themselves smiling?

"Yeah, you do," Freddie shuts the photo album and places it on the coffee table in front of him. "I'd recognize it anywhere; it's always been one of my favorite things about you."

I stare at Freddie for once speechless. Most of the time I feel like I can be my normal self around Freddie, but then he says something so… sweet it almost makes me want to puke but at the same time makes me feel like a complete girly-girl.

I wonder if Freddie even knows how much his words mean to me. I mean, he probably does, he gets the whole no Dad in the picture thing, but to me my Dad was always going to be a fading memory until now. Now every time I saw a photo with me smiling or we watched our iCarly webcasts and I see my grin, I'll think of him, and not in the bad wishing-he-would-come-back-so-we-could-all-be-that-happy-family-again kind of way.

I don't know how to put into words to show what Freddie has said meant a lot more than even he could to know to me. I've never been good with words, much better with actions, so I reach one hand up and place it on the side of Freddie's face before leaning in and capturing his lips.

Freddie's shocked, he's been waiting for me to say something, maybe even to yell at him or threaten him, not kiss him. So he takes a second before he kiss back, tangling one hand in my blonde hair, and the other hand pressing against the small of my back.

When we pull away from each other to breathe, he doesn't take his arms from around me away, actually pulls me in closer and I lean my head onto his chest. "Freddie," I say quietly, but he shushes me.

"Sh, Sam," he says, "I know, "He kisses the top of my head and I silently cheer, thankful that I don't have to say anything for him to understand. Even if I hadn't wanted to do this, I was glad I had, Freddie always made his requests worthwhile.

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><p><strong>AN: Aw. Sweet. Freddie's awesome. R&amp;R<strong>


	37. Piano

**AN: I've had lots of requests for Sam to be the one playing the piano, as well as a lot of requests for Freddie to be the one playing the piano. But neither one of those people was ever my intention.**

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><p><strong>Piano<strong>

Sam left the room where they had filmed the impromptu iCarly. After the karaoke had ended Carly and her new friend Tori had continued bonding over what a jerk Stephen had been. And it's not their fault really, because Sam knows how it feels and never wishes that feeling upon anyone, but really out of all the guys Carly's had fall head over heel for her, and she's almost sure this Tori girl is the same (both gorgeous and polite) maybe this one bad situation was just a learning experience in life.

So Sam had left, couldn't stand one more second of the shared heartbreak. Sam had dealt with enough heartbreak to last her a life time. She found herself exploring each room of Kenan Thompson's house (part of her couldn't believe she's met him and another part of her thought wow his house is huge) and doesn't stop until she finds a room filled with instruments.

She walks up to the big piano that is the center of attention in a room filled with more instrument than Sam even knew existed. She's always loved the piano, never had the money or the patience for lessons, but she's always been intrigued by the black and white keys. Sam sits almost hesitantly on the bench. She reaches her right hand out in front of her, and with a surprising gentleness presses down on the ivory key, which issues a low and quiet note. She smiles as she gently taps each key in order, hearing the melodies. After that she runs the back of her hands backwards down the keys, creating a colorful noise. She stands up and bows to a fake audience after that, "Thanks, thanks a lot!" she says with a cheer.

Then she hears a chuckle behind her and whips around. Of course, it's him, who else would catch her in such an embarrassing moment? She stares at him, daring him to say anything to her, and is surprised when he doesn't, simply walks up to her, and then sits down on the bench, motioning for her to sit down once again.

Sam watches in awe as Freddie's fingers fly across the keyboards skillfully, he's not the best, makes a mistake, says "Butter," and goes back to fix the mistake. But he's way better than she'll ever be and he doesn't even speak directly to her until he finishes the song and stands and takes his bow, "So, does your fake audience think I deserve an applause?" he finally says to her.

Sam finds herself clapping, "I think your real audience might have enjoyed it," she says quietly, but his grin is enough to let her know he's heard. "I didn't know you played,"

"When I was younger Mom signed me up for lessons, but then she read some article about musicians always running away from home," he pauses to roll his eyes, "and that was the end of that."

"I've always wanted to play," Sam admits, looking at the keys again, as Freddie starts another song, this one very familiar.

"No lessons?" Freddie asks because almost every kid has been put into piano lessons at some point in their lives.

"Yes, because I was the kid who could sit still for half an hour and pay attention to someone older than me," Sam snorts.

Freddie lets out a laugh, as he finishes his second song, "Any requests?" he asks Sam.

She knows he means songs and she wonders how many he actually knows. It doesn't really surprise her that he's good at playing an instrument; Freddie's always been good at everything. It's like he doesn't even have to try. Finally Sam says, "Teach me a song,"

He grins at her and says, "Sure, what do you want to learn?"

"You pick," Sam shrugs.

"Okay, first we're going to go over the notes so, so place your right thumb there," he points at a key, Sam oddly obedient follows his instructions.

He lists the letters, ABCDEFG then back to A. Shows her how to position her fingers correctly, then moves so his hands are an octave beneath hers. "Okay, so the first three notes go like this," he plays them, then Sam repeats them, frowning as she makes a mistake on the first try. He shows her again and this time she gets it right.

They spend almost an hour like that, Freddie playing the notes and Sam repeating them, until she's learned the left and right hand on a very simple song, they played together almost perfectly in synch until Sam messes up and mutters "Chizz" she returns to the beginning and waits for Freddie before they start again.

Over and over until Sam has the notes and rhythm memorized and her fingers fly across the keys with ease on this one simple song. It's a tune everyone knows and so she finds herself singing the words along with it, and she's not bad, not great but not bad, good enough to carry a tune. She laughs when Freddie's voice joins her, rough and untrained, nothing like the way he plays the instrument they are now sharing.

She never mentions that she left because she is sick of the heart break. He never tells her that he didn't find her by accident. Sam doesn't ask why he isn't comforting Carly, the love of his life. Freddie chooses not to share that even though he hates Stephen and wanted to beat him up, it wasn't because he was in love with Carly, simply that he didn't want to see her cry. Heck, Freddie Benson doesn't want to see any girl cry, it's in his nature to try and protect girls, and except for the fiery blonde beside him every girl seems to need protection. Sam is happy to ignore the flipping feeling in her stomach and just enjoy the moment. Freddie is just glad that for once Sam is not beating him or insulting him.

The deal in their relationship, enemies, friends, whatever they happen to be that day is that they just go with it. They don't interfere with how life plays out. If Sam says something that sets Freddie off they fight and they argue and Sam punches him, and now he tries to fight back, but doesn't always succeed. If it happens to be a rare moment where they are simply enjoying each other's company, having a real conversation or something, then they go with that. It's not to be questioned, because it shouldn't work, yet it does. If they talk about it then things will be ruined.

So in that one shared moment of what was a crazy night, it was just Sam and Freddie and their voices accompanied by the piano. Just the two of them, acting in the only ways they knew how. Don't ask. Don't tell. Keep your feeling buried deep inside if you are Sam, and pretend like you don't even have a clue that's something is wrong if you are Freddie. Live in the moment, and don't question how they got there, just enjoy it.

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><p><strong>AN: I play the piano a little bit, taught myself mostly and then had a year or two of lessons, but I'm by no means a professional. I love it though and always have. R&amp;R<strong>


	38. Perfection

**AN: Glad so many of you loved the last chapter. I'm glad you guys enjoy reading my writing, really, it means a lot to me. I'm looking to enter a writing contest if anyone knows of one, I'd be super happy if you could let me know.**

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><p><strong>Perfection<strong>

In eleven-year-old Freddie Benson's eyes Carly Shay is perfect. She's pretty and kind. The first girl to ever stop and have a real conversation with him, in reality Carly Shay is actually his first real friend. That's why he starts to like her, or as his eleven-year-old self proclaims, love her. With her big dark eyes, shiny hair and sweet personality what's not to love?

Eleven-year-old Freddie Benson thinks Carly Shay's best friend Sam Puckett is flawed in every imaginable way. She and Freddie uses the term she very lightly, is an absolute terror. She's rude and crude, saying things that poor little innocent Freddie's ears have never been subjected to. Sam gives attitude to everyone, doesn't respect her elders, and is all around just a bad person. She hits him and makes fun of him, calls him stupid names and she hates him. Freddie doesn't know why, when they first met he was nothing but nice to her, but after about a day he started hating her right back, but still she started it. She also eats like a pig and has absolutely zero manners, what's not to hate?

Sixteen-year-old Freddie Benson has learned a lot since then. He recognizes that Carly Shay is not perfect, but she has so little flaws that she is about as close as it comes. She's still pretty, beautiful even and Freddie can't and won't deny that. She's still kind, sometimes too kind, giving too many people too many "second" chances, and she's still his friend. In fact, Carly is one of his best friends. But Carly Shay is not perfect, she can be quite a brat when she doesn't get her way (and she almost always gets her way with Spencer as her guardian), she has an irrational fear of tight dark spaces, and she's a little too boy-crazy for Freddie's liking even though he doesn't feel that way about her anymore. Still, she's almost perfect and maybe that's why the boys keeping knocking on her door and she keeps falling for them

He also views Sam differently after five years of knowing her. She still calls him names and occasionally beats him up, though she seems to have slowed down since his last growth-spurt. She still eats enormous amounts of food and is rude to almost everyone. She still gives attitude and doesn't like authority figures, but Freddie's learned some new things about her. Sam's the funniest person he knows, he often finds himself laughing more at her jokes than at Carly's. Sam is talented in more ways than one, she can draw, and he's been told she can dance, and real dancing, not the random dancing that they enjoy on the show. She's fiercely loyal and he has to admit one of his best friends, despite the fact she claims to hate him and he returns the fake-hatred wholeheartedly. He also knows she not stupid, she's clever and just doesn't care for school. She's nowhere near perfect, but Sam's certainly interesting.

He sits between his two best friends on Carly's couch and is lost in his thoughts, not the television show their supposed to be watching, which is making Carly giggle and Sam chuckle. He's thinking about love and life and how much these two girls do love life and how he's lucky to have them, even if Carly cost them the chance to go into space and Sam causes the now occasional (once daily) bruise. He glances at Carly, sitting properly and primly, with her legs crossed and her hand folded on her lap. Then he turns to look at Sam who is hanging upside down, her legs bent at the knee hooked over the back of the couch, her head tilted back and blonde curls brushing the ground, she catches him staring at her and sticks her tongue out at him, Freddie happily makes a silly face back at her, crossing his eyes and raising his eyebrows and she laughs, a little too loudly.

Freddie feels his heart skip a beat, but he tries to ignore it. More and more lately he's been trying to ignore these feelings, because the last time he felt these sort of things was when he started to crush on Carly. And while Freddie had known his chance was slim with Carly he was determined that he could eventually get her to go out with him (and he did, sort of…) but he also realizes that he has absolutely zero chance of Sam ever agreeing to go out with him. So Freddie turns his attention back to the TV with a sigh. He's beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, perfection is overrated anyway.

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><p><strong>AN: Loved this chapter. There's a big difference between 11-year-old Freddie and 16-year-old Freddie and I think that's necessary. R&amp;R!<strong>


	39. Park

**Oh my. Over 300 reviews! I can hardly believe it. I love you all very, very, much. Only a little while ago (9 chapters ago) I was spazzing over 200 reviews and now I've got 100 more. So glad you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I love writing it. So thanks once again for being so amazing.**

**This chapter is one of my favourites and it's written in Freddie's POV which we haven't seen in awhile.**

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><p><strong>Park<br>Freddie's POV**

It had been Sam's idea to come to the park. High School students had the day off, but elementary students would still be in school, so the park would be empty. Sam had said we had to value the few sunny days we get in Seattle and Carly, Gibby and I had to agree, so we had meandered down the street for a long time, not wanting to go inside but not wanting to do anything else, when Sam suddenly said, "I know! Let's go to the park!"

"The park?" Carly asked, sounding astonished, "But… aren't we too old?"

Sam shook her head, "Never too old for the monkey bars or the swings,"

I laughed at Sam's enthusiasm and Gibby had shrugged an agreed it might be fun. "We can at least walk around there, and be surrounded by some green," I added, thinking that a change from being surrounded by building on each side of me would be nice.

So that was how the four of us had ended up at the entrance to the park. Carly looked around with an almost sad smile, "How long has it been since I came here?" she wondered aloud, "It has to have been years,"

"I was here about…" I try and think back, "Had to be at least 7 years ago, now…"

Gibby chuckles, "I brought Guppy here a few weeks ago and had a couple of goes on the slide myself,"

We all turned to look at Sam who had added anything to the conversation, but suddenly she smiles brightly, "Last night… I was here last night," and while we're still trying to process that information she elbows me in the ribs and shouts, "Race you to the swings!" before taking off.

"No fair!" I yell as I chase after her, hearing Carly and Gibby's laughter in the background.

Sam reaches the swings first (well, no duh, she cheated) and was already airborne by the time I sat on the swing next to her. I started to kick my leg back and forth recalling the time that Carly had pushed me on the swings I helped Spencer set up in the iCarly studio. That had been a couple of years ago. Things had changed a lot since then, such as Gibby becoming an almost-regular guest on iCarly instead of just once in awhile.

Carly and Gibby had both settled into a bench not too far away, watching Sam and I. For a moment, I had the ridiculous thought that they looked rather like they were parents watching their kids. When Sam's swing had reached the highest point it could she jumped off it, sailing through the air as Carly let out a concerned shriek. Sam landed neatly on her feet, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"Sam! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" I heard Carly scold as I scuffed my feet in the sand and gravel that covered the playground, and came to a complete stop before I hopped off the swing and jogged over to Sam who was rolling her eyes at Carly.

"C'mon, Carls, don't tell me you've never jumped off a swing before," Sam said, sounding exasperated.

"Hasn't everyone?" Gibby pipes up quite unexpectedly.

Both Carly and I shake our heads, "My mother would've had a fit," I said.

"I was always scared of hurting myself," Carly adds.

Sam rolls her eyes again, "Please, the most you're going to do is skin your knee, these swings aren't even high enough to break a bone,"

I have to let out a laugh at that, "Well, I think if I can take on a taco truck I think I can manage to jump off a swing,"

Carly is hesitating, "I don't know… I mean… it looks like it goes pretty high," Carly is exaggerating, no set of swings goes that high.

"You've got to give it a try," Gibby encourages Carly and I nod along with him.

Sam pushes Carly towards the swings, "C'mon Carls, if you get a booboo I promise to kiss it better," she jokes.

Carly cracks up and finally agrees, she sits on a swing and I take my place once again on the swing I had used previously. Sam and Gibby go to stand a safe distance away as Carly and I start to move back and forth gaining height and air.

Carly reaches the highest point a little bit faster than I do, and Sam and Gibby both scream, "Jump Carls!" Carly shuts her eyes lets go of the swings handles and issues a high-pitched scream before landing safely, though not nearly as gracefully as Sam.

Gibby and Sam cheer for Carly, "10 points!" Sam calls.

"Only 10?" Carly laughs, "I think I deserve at least 20, no, 50 points!"

"100 points!" Sam says instead as I continue to swing, back forth…back and forth…back and forth.

Carly finally turns around and starts clapping and cheering for me, "Your turn Freddie!"

I've reached the maximum height that the swing allows and finally I let go, laughing as I soar forwards, but then as the ground approaches I can't seem to get my feet in the right place, so I end up landing on my knees, my palms out in front of me to stop my face from meeting the ground.

I hear Sam's laughter grow louder as Gibby, Carly and her all rush over, I stand up inspecting myself, no broken bones, no torn muscles a little dirt on my palms, and I'm sure my knees will bruise tomorrow or the day after, and finally just on my right knee which had taken most of my weight, my fall had ripped my jeans and caused quite a large scratch which was bleeding slightly.

"Freddie, are you okay?" Carly is asking worriedly.

"Yeah, other than the…" I pause and recall Sam's words, "Booboo on my knee, I'm just fine, my mom'll probably freak out though,"

Gibby's looking at me like he's struggling not laugh, "Nice job Freddie," he say with a low chuckle.

"Yeah, stylish landing Benson," Sam's not even attempting to hide her laughter.

"Thanks Puckett, gonna kiss _my_ booboo better?" I mock the baby voice she used to egg Carly on.

Sam glances down at my bloody knee and shakes her head, "I believe the deal was I kiss Carly's booboo better if she got one, which she didn't, her landing was perfect,"

"100 points, if I remember correctly," Carly says, giggling now that she's reassured herself I'm alright.

Gibby laughs along with her, "Well, that's just… not very fair is it? You'd kiss Carly's injury better but not Freddie's?"

"Well, obviously," Sam states, "It's Freddork, he's a nub, I don't wanna get any nub germs,"

I shrug, I hadn't really been expecting her to accept, and I start moving forward, faking a slight limp, "It does hurt a little,"

Carly is looking at Sam pointedly, "You know, this is all your fault," she says, "Freddie wouldn't be hurt if-"

"If he knew how to land a jump properly?" Sam interrupts.

"No," Carly shakes her head, "If you hadn't goaded us into it."

"C'mon Sam," Gibby says, "Carly's got a point,"

I nod in agreement, though I don't blame Sam in the least, I'm just finding this situation quite hysterical. We've all been walking forward during this conversation (and I was keeping up the fake-limp), until we reached a park bench that could seat the four of us, in a rare silence.

Finally Sam breaks it, "Fine!" she sighs, before kneeling in front of me and inspecting the injury, "Carls, you still got that first aid kit on you?" she asks.

Carly answers in the affirmative before rummaging around in her purse and pulling out an acceptable sized (not my mother's gigantic orange one) first-aid kit and hands it to Sam.

"Why do you have a first-aid kit?" Gibby asks Carly.

"Sam used to get into a lot of fights," Carly says with a slight smile at the words used to. Sam in the mean time has opened the first aid kit and pulled out what looks like a disinfectant. She wipes the blood off my knee and cleans the cut. It stings a bit and I have to bite back a hiss.

Then Sam rummages through the band-aids that seem to be the most popular item in the small box. She laughs as she rips off the wrapping and then places the band-aid on my scrape. I glance down at it, "Galaxy Wars?" I ask with a laugh of my own.

"Thought you'd enjoy that," Sam says quietly, before she leans forward and places a featherweight kiss over the band-aid, "Feel better?" she inquires as she stands.

I look down at my Galaxy Wars band-aid and then back up to Sam, my words surprising everyone, even myself, "Actually, yeah… thanks Puckett,"

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><p><strong>AN: Haha, did not know what was going to write for this chapter until about half-way through… turned out rather cute don't you think<strong>? **Also as a completely unrelated side-note I was voting for TCA's and I hadn't really listened to much of Jennette McCurdy's music so I wasn't going to vote for her until after I did, and I did and I fell in love with it. She's a talented girl, or young lady I should say as we're about the same age. Thanks one more time for your loyalty and your reviews! R&R!**


	40. Paper Airplane

**AN: This chapter is funny! Or at least I think so, I hope you do too.**

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><p><strong>Paper Airplane<strong>

The paper airplane had not been a good one. It had uneven folds and multiple creases as if the person had had to refold the paper more than once, and it had flown terribly, still that was not the point. The point was that it had flown and it had hit, what Freddie assumed was the target, the teacher, the other point was that it had his name was printed on the inside.

It didn't matter apparently, as Freddie had pointed out that it was clearly not his writing, the evidence was all there. In black ink on white paper folded into the shape of the plane. And that is how Freddie Benson, model student had landed himself his first detention ever. He rolled his eyes, when he had been in middle school, trying to get detention for the iCarly 50th Spectacular he could not do it no matter what bad thing he had done. He literally had to sneak into detention, that's how good a kid he was, but now, now Freddie had landed a detention because a badly made and thrown airplane with his name on it.

So, he was in a bad mood when he pushed the door to the detention classroom open and it was not improved by the sight of the single other person in the room. A mass of blonde curls was the only thing visible from the room's other occupant. Just who Freddie wanted to spend his next hour with, and why were they the only one's here?

She didn't lift her head as Freddie sat down in the desk next to her, and his anger grew because the monitor of detention was late. Sure, they got in trouble if they were late for class, but the teacher didn't have to be on time for detention. Freddie crossed his arms in front of his chest and huffed irately. Finally, the bored looking teacher appeared, and Sam lifted her head only slightly off her elbows, "No talking, only do school work," the teacher said, and then left again closing the door.

Freddie waited for the footsteps to fade before he chanced speaking, "I know it was you!" he hissed angrily.

Sam lifted her head a smirk in place, "How?" was all she asked, there was no point in denying it, she had done it and he wasn't lying she could tell.

"I recognized your writing, even if the teacher didn't recognize it, how many times have I seen your messy print on a cue card for iCarly? But of course you've never handed anything into the teacher, have you?" Freddie continued, "Why did you do it?"

"The seniors are all on their best behaviour this week to they can go to the stupid prom and I didn't want to be in detention by myself," Sam shrugged, "I get bored,"

"Yeah, well, this isn't my only detention, apparently hitting the teacher with a paper airplane earns you 2 detentions," Freddie complained.

Sam let out a quiet laugh at that, "I wasn't aiming for the teacher," she admitted quietly.

"Who were you aiming for?" Freddie asked curiously.

"You," Sam informed him, rolling her eyes at him.

Freddie drew his brows together, clearly thinking, "Why would you write my name on it if you were aiming for me?" he wondered aloud.

Sam lowered her head, and mumbled something that Freddie didn't catch. It took a few moments but Freddie finally pieced it together, "You weren't sure where it was going to land! You thought… no, you were afraid it wouldn't hit its intended target! And it didn't, which is why I'm now in detention… well that seems like great lengths just to irritate me."

Sam's frowning when she meets my eyes again, "I really didn't mean to hit the teacher," which her way of apologizing for my second detention I supposed.

"If I had really made the airplane it would have hit the target," Freddie mumbled.

"My aim with paper might not be so hot, but my punch is 100% accurate," Sam threatened.

He shrugged, not really too worried, "Well, it would have,"

We're silent for a few seconds before Sam says, "Teach me,"

"Teach you what?" Freddie questioned.

"Teach me how to make a paper airplane properly," Sam said.

Freddie stared at her, he's not sure that teaching Sam new ways to be destructive and annoying is a good idea, but he is kind of bored just sitting there, since he had finished all his homework in the last class. "Okay," he finally agreed.

Sam pulls a few pieces of blank paper from her back pack, Freddie hadn't even known she kept actually school supplies in there, and placed them on her desk. Freddie scooted his chair so it was on the opposite side of Sam's. He took one of the pieces and started instructing Sam, who had her own piece and was growing more frustrated every time she got it wrong.

Freddie looked at Sam's face, flushed from irritation and concentration and down at his completed airplane, and her crumpled sheet "Oh, great, yours is perfect," she muttered, "And mine's a mess, it's like an illustration of our lives,"

Freddie frowned then, he never heard Sam speak like that. It wasn't true anyway, his life was far from perfect, but he hadn't known that she thought hers was that bad. He pulled his chair around so he can sit next to hers. He pulled out a crisp new page of paper, he picked up Sam's hands in his and she looks at him, puzzled.

He gently guided her through the measuring and folding and the pressing down of the creases. When they finished there's an exact replica of Freddie's plane. Sam smiled at it. "Want to test it out?" Freddie asked.

Sam nodded, her smile widening, she picked it up and aimed, she drew her arm back then threw the projectile forward and just as it was about to hit its target the target swung open and the paper air plane hit the detention teacher who had been about to inform them that they were free to go glared and demanded to know, "Who made that?"

Freddie opened his mouth to confess but Sam spoke first, "I did, I made it," Freddie had to bite back a laugh as he heard the note of pride in her voice.

"Well then Miss Puckett, I guess one detention this week isn't enough for you, it appears I'll see you both tomorrow, you may go," The teacher turned around and left quickly.

Sam's mouth dropped open and she eventually just shrugged. Freddie let out a laugh, "Well, at least I won't have to be in detention by myself, tomorrow," he had to admit if he was going to have detention, detention with Sam was probably the way to go.

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><p><strong>AN: Aw look at a cute moment in there too. Also, I am TERRIBLE at making paper airplanes, which is why I didn't want to explain it in more detail. I have no idea why I thought Freddie would be good at making them. Oh well, R&amp;R!<strong>


	41. Night

**AN: SO EXCITED TO SEE HP7: Pt 2 PREMIERE TONIGHT! AAAAAH:D. **

**Also, lots of words in the chapter that I spell "our" that are spelt "or" in the US. Since iCarly is an American television show, I try to use the American spelling for it. So, if you see a u in one of those words… whoops.**

**Things to Know for This Chapter: Future, Freddie and Sam dating, and have been for years. Sam, Freddie and Carly went to the same college. Now Sam and Carly share an apartment, but Freddie lives in the same building, it's not Bushwell.**

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><p><strong>Night<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Tonight was _the_ night. I mean, it's day time right now, but that's not the point. The big question would be answered tonight. But first a day filled of my girlfriend's favorite things. I knocked on Sam and Carly's door and was surprised when Sam opened it, looking ready go, but not surprised that she look a little frustrated. She's been trying to figure out what I've been up to for quite awhile.

"Good Morning Sam," I say, "Ready for a day of your favorite things?"

It's quite early, so Sam's response makes me grin, "Sleeping is one of my favorite things, and I'm not doing that, which I should be, right now,"

I shake my head, "No, no, we have a full day ahead of us."

Sam glares at me, "This better be good,"

"It is!" I assured her, "First things first, breakfast," I gently take Sam's hand a pull her back to the elevator, taking it down several floors to my apartment. After living across the hall from Carly (and therefore most of the time Sam) for years even in college (it had been lucky really) I couldn't bear to live far away from them when they had told me they were moving in together after college.

Plus, by that time Sam and I had already been dating for years and I really couldn't stand to be away from her for a long time. I open the door to my apartment and Sam sniffs the air approvingly. "Sit, sit," I say gesturing to my small kitchen and the even smaller table that was in it. Sam sat down and pushed her chair back before placing her shoe-covered feet on my clean table.

I stared but she didn't budge and finally I gave up, simply going to collect the plates of Sam's favorite food. All meat and mostly pork products, lots and lots of bacon, I sat down across from her as Sam placed her feet on the floor and started to dig in. "This is good," she admits, which causes me to smile.

Compliments from Sam are hard to come by, "Really good," she continues through a mouthful of bacon.

"Thanks," I say, not wanting to make a big deal of the breakfast I had woken up extremely early to prepare.

It takes Sam only moments to clear the plates, but luckily, I had planned for that. "Dessert time,"

"Breakfast dessert?" Sam asks, almost in awe.

"Yes, Princess Puckett," I say, before waling over to both my fridge and the cupboards above the counter. I bring out the box of Sam's beloved snack FatCakes and place 4 or 5 on the plate before pouring the contents of what I had taken out of fridge into a glass. I place a straw in the glass and then bring the dishes over to Sam, clearing away her empty bacon plate.

"Is that… a FatShake?" Sam asks; eyes wide.

I nod with a smirk of my own.

"But… you can only buy FatShakes at the stands! They don't sell them to take home!" Sam leans down to take a sip and lets out a satisfied, "Ah." She then starts stuffing her face with FatCakes. "How did you get it?"

"Set up a security system at the FatShake and Cake Company," I shrug, "Got this in return, I only have that of it though,"

"Still… a breakfast FatShake in your apartment, it doesn't get any better does it?" Sam asks.

"Of course it does," I reply, "Today is a day of your favorite things, so now that breakfast is done, you are done right?"

Sam drains the rest of her FatShake before rubbing her stomach and saying, "I'm done,"

"Okay, now that breakfast is done, we're going to…" I pause for dramatic effect, and reach into my pocket pulling out, "The MMA fights!" There was a reason I had planned this elaborate favorite things of Sam's day for today, there was a full day of MMA fights at the same place we had seen Carly fight Shelby Marx.

Sam screams in excitement before leaping up and running over to me, engulfing me in a hug. "You said there was no way you could get tickets!" she shouts, jumping up and down.

"I lied," I informed her, "C'mon let's get going, the first fight starts at 10,"

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><p>A full day of fights and supplying Sam with endless amounts of popcorn and not diet soda later Sam is in an excellent mood and it's contagious so I'm feeling pretty good myself. Sam kisses me quickly but passionately and when she pulls away she says, "BEST DAY EVER!"<p>

"It's not over yet," I laugh, "We're going to dinner,"

"Where?" Sam asks her eyes lighting up.

"Petrosini's!" I tell her.

Her face falls for a second, "But what about the dress code?" though Sam loved the food at the fancy restaurant she didn't like that she had to dress like a daffodil. Plus, she hadn't planned for it, and was in her jeans, and white t-shirt with a black and red patterned vest that matched her converses.

"Don't worry, I've got you covered," I announce, once we reached my car. I pull out the backpack I've had since junior high and open the trusty bag, I grab the dress and pair of heels Carly had given to me when I informed her of my master plan.

"What about you?" Sam asks as she took the outfit, "and I don't suppose there's a hairbrush in there,"

"Don't worry about me, I'm prepared," I tell her as I dig a little deeper into the bag and pull out Sam's brush, and hand it to her wordlessly.

"Okay Mr. Smarty-pants," Sam says with a smirk, "Where are we supposed to change?"

"OH!" I realize I had nearly forgotten an important step in my plan, "One more stop before dinner, you can change there," I looked at my watch, glad to see that we were actually ahead of schedule.

Sam looks at me suspiciously, but climbs into the passenger seat, careful with the handful of clothing. When I am seated in the driver' seat she asks, "What are you up to Benson?" all while eyeing my suspiciously.

I concentrate on pulling out of the parking lot and turning safely onto the road, allowing me a few minutes of silence before Sam prompts, "Well, what are you up to?"

"Nothing," I reply cringing as my voice cracks and reaches an octave it hasn't in years. I am an awful liar.

Sam lets out a small snort and mutters, "Glad to hear you've finally entered puberty," she's reverting back to old insults, a clear sign that she's mad that she can't figure out what I am doing even though she's very aware that I am lying to her.

Thankfully our next stop isn't too far away, and I successfully parallel park in front of the Groovy Smoothie and walk around to open Sam's door for her, but she's already got it open by the time I get there. So instead I offer her my hand, she looks reluctant, but she takes it anyway, "Why is this place so special?" she asks, "I mean... it's not even our favorite place to be,"

"No, but it means a lot to us, we've had great times here," I smile, reliving a few good memories.

Sam looks around glancing between the door and the counter where T-Bo still serves his delicious yet strange concoctions, "And a few bad ones," she whispers, and when I raise my eyebrow questioningly at her, she shakes her head, refusing to elaborate.

"Okay, well, let's have a smoothie for old time's sake? Then we can both change," I suggest. Sam looks a little stunned, she is still wondering about my change of clothing, which I had asked T-Bo if I could stash here and gotten Gibby to drop off. I feel as if the whole world knows about bits and pieces of this plan, but only Carly and I were aware of all the little details.

I order for Sam, her favorite flavor and a smaller smoothie for myself. "You know, you should just tell me what you're planning,"

"Why should I?" I almost taunt Sam.

"Because I'll beat you up if you don't?" She tries. I shake my head. Her second attempt isn't much better, "Because I'll tell everyone that you still have your nightlight?" One, that's a lie, and two, not a single one of my friends would have ever even cared if I did have a nightlight. Sam pouts, "Because you love me?"

Oh. Good try Sam, but I'm not going to fall for it. I roll my eyes at her, "Yes, I do love you," I assure Sam, "But if you love me, you'll refrain from asking me more about a plan, which I may or may not have, because you'll find out soon, very soon.

Sam stares at me as she slurps down the last of her smoothie. I stare straight back at her, refusing for once to back down or give in. Finally Sam says, "I'm going to get changed," and reaches for backpack which she had hastily stuffed the outfit back into when we pulled up outside.

* * *

><p>"Benson reservation," I announce as Sam and I arrive. Sam stands just a little behind me, and is pretending to be interested in something other than the guy I had just spoken too.<p>

The maitre d' leaves to check on our table and I turn around to face Sam a quick smile forming on my face as she looks up when I spin, "Sam, were you staring at my butt?"

"Nope," Sam lies, impeccably well.

"Suuuure," I say with a light chuckle, looking at her petite form and feeling my grin grow.

Sam is wearing a strapless dress, which is fitted on top but flows out from the empire waist which is marked with a silver band. The hemline reaches just above her knees, showing off Sam's gorgeous legs. A pair of simple silver heels gives her a couple of inches, and completes the outfit.

"You are the most beautiful woman in the world," I tell Sam sincerely meaning every word.

An almost undetectable tinge of pink fills in Sam's cheeks, "And you are the dorkiest man in existence," she says, when the maitre d' returns.

"All your party has arrived and everything is set," he announces.

"Party?" Sam echoes, "I thought it was just going to be us," she sounds slightly disappointed.

"What kind of day would it be without your favorite people?" I question.

"_You_ are my favorite person," Sam says, very, very, quietly and as usual I'm surprised at this new piece of information.

I gently tug on Sam's hand, "But I'm just one of your favorites," I lead her into the private party room Petrosini's charges an arm and a leg to rent.

The room is lit only by a chandelier over the center of the table, but it's still illuminating enough for Sam to see the people at the table. There are two empty seats, on one side of the table and Carly and Spencer sit across from the table laughing with each other. I walk around and pull Sam's chair out for her, who crosses her arms before sitting down and glaring at her best friend and surrogate older brother.

I sit down beside her, and scoot my chair an inch or two closer to her, just as Sam demands, "What the hell is going on here?"

Spencer lets out a too-loud, "What do you mean?"

But Carly says, "I know you were planning for after dinner Freddie, but I think Sam might explode if she has to wait anymore,"

I look at Sam, who is for once, silent, yet fuming in her seat. The last thing in the world that I want is for her to walk out angry and upset on what is supposed to be an amazing day followed by an amazing night. As the waiter takes our drink orders and then leaves, I decide that Carly is right.

"Isn't anyone going to crack and tell me what's going on?" Sam insists.

I stand up, "Okay, I'll tell you Sam,"

I see Sam trying to fight off a grin at her success, "The reason that I made you breakfast-"

"And woke me up ridiculously early," she interrupts.

I ignore her, "complete with the only FatShake to not be bought from a stand, and took you to a day of MMA fights,"

"Which was awesome," Sam admits.

"And took you both to the Groovy Smoothie and here, where two more of your favorite people are waiting, is because I am so in love with you that I would do anything to keep you happy, and that's all I want to do for the rest of my life," here I drop to one knee, and pull out an box from my pocket, "So, Sam Puckett, will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Sam Benson?"

Sam's jaw drops and she is silent for the most agonizing moments of my life, "Yes," she starts and Carly and Spencer clap and cheer until Sam holds up a hand to silence them, "On one condition,"

"Anything," I tell her.

"I'm hyphenating my name, Puckett-Benson," she says, "I never, ever, want to be called Mrs. Benson, after the years I spent calling your mother that or more appropriately hearing Carls call your mother that,"

"Okay, then will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Sam Puckett-Benson?" I amend.

Sam leans over so she's face to face with me, "Yes, I will," she whispers and closes the space between us and this time Carly and Spencer's cheers are deafening. I slip the ring onto Sam's finger and she studies it, before Carly grabs her hand and admires it.

"It's gorgeous," Carly says to her.

"It's not too awful, considering Freddie picked it out," Sam agrees.

"I am so planning your wedding," Carly says.

"Won't you be too busy in your duty as Maid of Honor?" Sam casually asks as our drinks and an on-the-house appetizer arrives.

The excited scream Carly lets out is so loud that Sam, Spencer and I all cover our ears. When the echoes subside I open my mouth to ask Spencer the next question but Sam places a hand on my knee and shakes her head.

"What?" I whisper to her, leaning in closer.

"I know what you were about to ask Spencer, but please don't, I want to ask him to do something, and…it will make me really happy if you asked Gibby to be your best man," she says knowing that Gibby and I are still good friends.

I kiss her forehead before I pull away, "Okay, Sam has apparently decided who my best man is going to be," I say with a shrug, and look at Spencer's crestfallen face, "Sorry, Spencer,"

"Don't be sorry for him," Sam says, "He gets to give the bride away…" there's a pause as everyone lets that piece of information sink in, and Sam continues, "I mean, if he wants to,"

Spencer gets up and motions for Sam to stand as well, and she surprisingly complies. Then he wraps her in a huge hug, lifting her and spinning her around a little, before setting her back down and saying, "I'd love to Sam, I know it must be hard for you," in an incredibly brother-like gesture he turns to me and says something similar to when he found out Sam and I were dating, "You better be the best, because that's what Sam deserves,"

* * *

><p>"This may have been the best day ever," Sam tells me, as we visit one more place before returning to our building, "But is the most definitely the best night ever."<p>

I smile at her, "Who would've thought that it all started because you put a dead fish in my locker?"

"Oh no, no, no, this," she gestures to us and our surroundings "All started because you handcuffed me to Gibby,"

"Well, even if it took us years after me handcuffing you to Gibby, to figure all this out, I'm still glad I did. Care to make history repeat itself?" I inquire.

"Well… lean,"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh my goodness, longest chapter ever. But it was important to me that a lot of information I felt was necessary. Freddie's always been the guy of master plans and it was fun for me to write this from his POV. I hope you stuck around to read all the way through it R&amp;R!<strong>


	42. Nicknames

**AN: I loved HP7: Pt 2. Also, I'm making spaghetti tacos for dinner tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. XD**

**Sam and Freddie are dating but still in high school. That's all you need to know.**

* * *

><p><strong>Nicknames<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Carly, Gibby, Sam and I always eat lunch together, and now Brad joins us as well, which is good, because it often means fudge for dessert. I watch the girl sitting beside me in awe as she demolishes her food in record time. Then I move to put my arm around her waist, the first rule of dating Sam Puckett is don't touch her while she's eating or she's likely to attack you.

Sam rolls her eyes at my arm, especially when Carly and Brad both coo, "Awww," Carly genuinely, and Brad a little mockingly,but she actually ends up moving closer even as she says, "PDA, Benson,"

I refuse to move my arm though and shake my head, "I don't care; besides no one's looking, Sam,"

Sam glances down at the arm that is gripping her and I know she's considering hitting it, or twisting it behind my back, so I take a deep breath waiting for a pain that never comes, "Just this once, nub,"

I smile in my small victory, tightening my grasp and effectively pulling her even closer. It always amazes me how small and light Sam is, consider both how much she eats, and how strong she is. "I love you," I whisper into her curls, and Sam pretends to vomit all her lunch up with some pretty realistic gagging sounds.

"Ew, Sam," Carly complains, pushing away her half-eaten slice of pizza while Gibby and Brad laugh.

"Not my fault," Sam replies, "It's Mr. Mush's fault,"

"Mr. Mush?" I question.

"That's a new one," Brad says with interest.

"I speak only the truth," Sam says, and the whole table snorts with laughter.

"Yeah, right," Gibby says, "Everyone knows you're the best liar in Seattle… maybe even in South America,"

South America? "Uh… Gibby…" I start.

"We live in North America," Carly informs Gibby.

"I know," he says.

"Okay, then," Brad says looking at Gibby strangely, before turning to me, "Now what does Mr. Mush have to say about his new nickname?"

Sam laughs at Brad using the nickname and high-fives him. Those two had quickly become friends, solidified by their similar sense of humor and Brad's delicious fudge and finally the fact that Brad seemed to find Sam torturing me entertaining, rather than Carly who found it annoying.

"I do not like the new nickname…" I say slowly, "Although I suppose there have been worse,"

"Yeah, like…" Sam pauses to think, "Dork, dweeb, dorkzilla, Sir Nubbiness…" she trails off.

I cringe but then grin; "It's just Sam's way of showing she cares," I shrug.

"I do not care," Sam says waspishly, "I'm just creative, and besides it's not like Fredward is a very good name to begin with,"

"You've have to admit, Sam's got a point there," Carly says.

Brad snorts, "I still can't believe your full name is Fredward!"

"Sam's full name is Samantha!" I say, and then let out a gasp and Sam's elbow hits my rib.

"Don't call me that," she says irritably.

"I wasn't! I was just trying to prove a point!" I insist, "C'mon, Gibby's real name isn't even Gibby."

"What is your real name?" Brad asks Gibby, like he's never even considered that Gibby couldn't possibly be Gibby's name.

"Well… his last name is Gibson," Sam points out, and the entire table turns to stare at her, "What? I called his mom that on a hunch and she didn't correct me,"

"What about your first and middle name?" Carly asks, now engrossed in the topic.

"I thought we were talking about Freddie here!" Gibby tries changing the subject.

"But now we're all curious, about your name," Brad says with a slight shrug.

"Don't worry," Sam says, "I'll find out what Gibby's name is,"

"How?" Carly asks, a little worriedly.

"Mama's got her ways," Sam says vaguely.

"Hmmm…" Brad says, clearly thinking aloud.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"Well… I noticed that Sam calls herself Mama and Carly, Carls, and occasionally, Carlotta… me Fudge Man, which is pretty awesome, and you a whole slew of different names," Brad explains, "And I was just wondering if maybe… you had a nickname for Sam?"

I burst out laughing as Sam glares at both me and Brad.

"You know…" Carly muses, "Other than calling her Puckett, and when he's mad, blonde-headed demon, I've never heard you call her anything but Sam,"

"He can't even take credit for the demon thing," Gibby points out, "Ms. Briggs called Sam a demon first."

"Just because you've never heard it, doesn't mean it I don't have one," I smirk.

"Watch it Freddifer," Sam warns.

"Ooooh, he does have a nickname for you!" Carly squeals, "That's so adorable,"

"What is it?" Gibby asks.

Sam shakes her head at me, "Seriously, Benson don't do this to me," she's as close to begging as Sam gets.

"It must be embarrassing," Brad says, "Can we guess what it is?"

"You can try," I reason, I mean, it's not like they'll ever guess what it is.

"Sweetheart?" Carly tries first.

I shake my head.

"Honey?" is Brad's guess.

"Nope,"

"Babe or baby?" Gibby asks.

"Not even close,"

Sam is making faces at all these names, much like she did when I did try to call her each of those names.

"Darling?"

"Definitely not,"

"Dear?"

"Ew, are we eighty?"

"Sammy?"

"No,"

"Love?"

"Are we in England?" I burst out, frustrated.

Sam lets out a light laugh at my outburst, "Oh, you never should've told them, they'll never stop guessing now,"

"Well, they'd stop if I told them what it was," I say throwing my arms wide and knocking over my drink, which spills onto Sam's lap.

Sam gasps as the ice and liquid splash and glares at me, I immediately hold my hands up in front of me, defensively, "Sam, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry,"

Sam takes a deep breath and reaches for the napkins Carly's holding out to her. She dries herself off and turns to me, "If you're going to be wasting food and drinks by spilling them on my clothes, trying not to tell them, you might as well tell them."

I stare at her with an open mouth, much like the rest of the table. We had all been expecting Sam to dump my half-finished lunch tray on my head and stalk off. "Really?" I ask.

"Well it's better than you running my wardrobe," Sam says, "Besides… I like the nickname," she reminds me.

"Yeah… but you said-"

Sam cuts me off, "Are you really arguing with me over what you wanted to do?"

I realize how ridiculous that seems and turn back to my friends who are now all look expectantly at me, "Well…" I hesitate.

"Princess," Sam says hurriedly, "He calls me Princess…" and looks down at her shoes, blonde hair hanging like a curtain in front of her face.

"Princess?" Gibby asks trying and failing to hide a laugh.

"Well, usually it's Princess Puckett," I say, my eyes still on Sam.

"But sometimes just Princess?" Brad asks.

"When we're alone," I reply, absentmindedly.

"That's so cute," Carly gushes.

I ignore Carly, and reach for Sam, brushing her hair back to see her face, which in an inexplicable red.

"You're embarrassed," I say finally, astonished.

Sam looks at me with a "No duh," look on her face.

"But you're Sam Puckett!" I practically shout, "You could run through the halls naked and not be embarrassed!"

Sam lets out a small laugh as Gibby and Brad shift uncomfortable at the mention of my girlfriend and their friend naked. Carly looks unfazed though.

"Really?" I ask, "This is what embarrasses you? I've been trying to find something embarrass you for years!"

"You haven't been succeeding until today," Sam snaps.

I laugh and pull Sam into a hug, and she tries to squirm away half-heartedly. If she actually wanted to leave, I'd be on the floor and probably unconscious. "Oh c'mon Sam, I think it's sweet." Gibby, Carly and Brad had the sense to leave the table at that moment, or Carly and Brad did anyway and they took Carly with them.

"Yeah, but I'm not sweet," She mumbles into my shirt.

"Sometimes you are," I tell her, "It's one of the many things I love about you,"

"The return of Mr. Mush," Sam says finally looking up at me.

"And sometimes, like now, you aren't," I mutter.

Sam grins at me, then glances around the cafeteria which is emptying, before saying quietly, "I love you,"

"See? That's sweet," I say, leaning down to kiss her. When I pull away, I rest my forehead against hers and whisper, "I love you too, Princess,"

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><p><strong>AN: I love this chapter. It's like pure fluff. Which is saying something considering the last chapter eh? Hope you liked it! R&amp;R!<strong>


	43. Mumble

**AN: Set around the time in iOMG when Sam's acting all weird. I think… after she's asked Freddie to work on the project and seen the movie with Freddie and Brad, but before the lock-in.**

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><p><strong>Mumble<strong>

**Carly's POV**

Let me just start by saying, I love my best friend.

I really do. Sam's amazing. She's funny, loyal, talented, and clever (even if she doesn't think she is).

She's also unladylike, inappropriate and at times like these frustrating. Sam and I have always talked about boys. It's always been that way. But tonight, she just mumbles replies to any question I ask her. It's so irritating.

Sam's never been shy about boys before. With Jonah she sent Freddie away with a threat and a can of spray cheese. Just so she could tell me about it.

"_You love Jonah," I had declared._

"_Yeah, kind of," she had replied._

And of course I knew, immediately. It's just the kind of thing a best friend should know; Sam's the same way with me. She always knows when I'm into a guy. After she had found out that Jonah was a total dirt bag, she had become a bit awkward on the subject of liking guys still always let me know in some way when she was totally in love with a guy. Like, Pete, remember Pete?

"_I can't believe you invited Pete!" Sam had said._

"_I had to!" I exclaimed, "You haven't stopped talking about him for three weeks!"_

See? This is how girls talk. The first time they feel those butterflies in their stomach they run to their best friend and tell them who they're now crushing on. Sam hasn't come to me lately about a boy, but she has been acting differently.

Awhile ago Sam went out with a whole bunch of terrible guys. I mean, the first one ditched her… the second one was covered in tattoos and the third was on parole. I mean what kind of example is that? I know Sam's on parole, but she hasn't been arrested in over a year, and I really hope that will be the last time. But then things got even weirder

I mean, she stopped hitting Freddie. That is good, I guess, but it means she's distracted. The other day she didn't even finish her meal. I was amazed. I don't think I've ever seen Sam not clear her plate. I need to find out what is going on. Even Freddie mentioned her change.

I have a hunch that it's about our new intern Brad. He does make fudge, and Sam does love food. So it would make sense right? Now, if only I could get a sensible answer out of her. I mean, okay the first questions she answered, a little vaguely, but at I still understood them.

I had asked, "Sam is something going on with you?"

"Maybe…" she had shrugged as we both collapsed on my bed; Sam was of course spending the night again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I questioned hesitantly.

She had nodded.

So, then I had asked, "Is it about a boy?"

Now, that's when the mumbling started. It sounded like she said, "It's about a boy," but I can't be 100% positive. I had just assumed and continued on with my question.

"Do I know him?"

Mumble, mumble, mumble. She had turned on her back to face away from me and buried her face into one of my pillows. "I can't understand you!" I had said, frustrated, and just wanting to know what's wrong, because I know something is wrong.

And here we are, with me trying to get a comprehensible answer out of my lovable but exasperating best friend.

"C'mon, Sam," I say reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. She remains silent, so I continue, "Listen, I know that since things didn't work out with Pete you've kept quiet on the boy front, but why won't you tell me now?"

Sam whispers, but hey, at least it's not a mumble, "You wouldn't understand…"

I laugh, "I wouldn't understand?" I scoff, "I just broke up with a guy I thought was perfect. Our names even sounded perfect and then he turns out to be a total…"

"Jerk-face?" Sam offers.

"Jerk-face," I confirm, "So, I do understand, and I'm here for you. And you wanted to talk about it, so talk."

"I do, but I don't think I can tell you Carls," Sam insists, sounding so sad.

"Sam, you can tell me anything," I reassure her. I mean, it's not even like I'll be surprised… well in less she says she's in love with Freddie… but that's not it. That just can't be it. It's impossible.

Sam lets out a long sigh, "I mean, I suppose I'll have to tell you eventually, there's no way it can stay hidden forever…" she trails off.

"Okay, okay, tell me when you're ready," I finally give in, Sam can be so stubborn, "But will you answer me a few questions first, properly?"

Sighing again, Sam nods her head in agreement.

"Is this about a boy?" I ask, and watch as Sam's hands clench into fists.

"Yes," her answer is very, very quiet, but at least she's enunciating.

"Do I know him?" I inquire.

There's a long pause before Sam answers this question, "Yes,"

Okay, well, that's a start at least. I can work my way up from there. Maybe, I can get Freddie to help me somehow too. "Thanks, Sam, go to sleep now," I squeeze her shoulder gently before pulling it away.

Soon Sam's even breathing and light snores fill the room but I can't sleep. My head is filled with boys, boys both Sam and I know, and I really, really can't picture her with anyone. Then again Brad comes to mind again and Brad does make delicious fudge. Maybe it's him, I'll just have to keep an eye out, see if she's flirting with him or whatever. And then, then I'll get Sam to make a move. She really does deserve a nice boyfriend.

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><p><strong>AN: My favourite line in this chapter is, "I mean, it's not even like I'll be surprised… well in less she says she's in love with Freddie… but that's not it. That just can't be it. It's impossible." Haha, oh, Carly if only you knew. R&amp;R<strong>

**PS: My cat is trying to catch the moths on the other side of the window. It's not working out well for her.**


	44. Moonlight

AN: August 13th I Lost My Mind Premieres! Woo! So excited.

I suppose I should warn you about the one pretty suggestive line in here. I mean this story is rated T, so I'm just being careful. Hope you enjoy.

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><p><strong>Moonlight<strong>

Sam will never forget the first time Freddie Benson said he loved her. She thought she might, considering he now says it so often that some days she has to pretend to fake vomit. It's not that she doesn't appreciate it. She really does, she knows that Freddie loves her, but she never tires of hearing it, despite how much she makes fun of him for it.

Everyone just assumes he said it first. Except for Carly, Carly knows exactly how things went down. It's impossible to keep secrets from that girl. So Carly, Sam and Freddie know that she said those three magic words first. It's not even like she had to say them, the stupid (and unfortunately able-working) application that Brad and Freddie had made with Sam's help (oh she curses herself for ever volunteering to do schoolwork) it was already there. In easy-to-read letters: In Love, not Crushing or Conflicted, In Love.

Still, Sam had said the three words aloud first. It had been an accident, Freddie had been saying goodnight before he returned to his apartment and she to Carly's.

_He placed a light kiss on her lips, then said, "Goodnight, Sam," _

"'_Night Freddie," she had reluctantly released him from her embrace, and said "I love you," before turning to open the Shay's door, before she even realized what she had said. Freddie's hand reached out to touch her shoulder, and she spun back around, he was staring at her with an open mouth and wide eyes._

_Sam took a deep breath and then said, "Don't say it back until you're ready, but I meant it, night Freddie."_

"_Night Sam," _

So, she had been the first to say it, and she had been sincere. Still, she didn't want him to say it unless he meant it just as much. Still, Sam remembers the first time Freddie said those three magical words to her because she had never thought it would happen. She never thought that someone like him could love someone like her.

_They were on the outskirts of Seattle. They had decided to go for a drive, since it was such a nice day and Freddie had finally been able to convince his mother to allow him to drive after the sun fell. He wanted to enjoy that freedom. And so he had called Sam and she had been more than willing to just go for a drive._

_Freddie had stocked up on snacks and meals and it had been a pleasant day. That's how they had ended up on the outskirts of the city, where you could actually see the stars. Freddie had pulled into a parking lot of a closed down strip mall, so the street lamps that bordered it no longer worked._

_Without speaking he and Sam had gotten out of the car, and both sat down on the hood of Freddie's car, leaning back and looking up. The moon was full and bright casting a silver tinge over everything. _

_Sam repositioned herself so she could lean her head against Freddie's chest, smiling into his shirt when she felt his arms around her. "You're amazing Sam," he spoke quietly, not looking at her but still gazing into the sky, "Did you know that?"_

_Sam laughed, "Why, yes I did,"_

_Freddie sighed, counting starts and enjoying the moment; wondering if anything could be more perfect then this moment. When he realizes that he thinks any and every moment with Sam is pure happiness, he knows he has to tell her. He's felt it for awhile, for a long time actually, but Freddie was never the brave one. _

_Freddie gently moved them both so they are sitting up on the hood of his car, and stared at Sam. He didn't know if it was the absence of the harsh city lights or the strength of the moonlight, but Sam looked even more beautiful; perhaps even ethereal. Freddie continued to stare at her, memorizing the moment, he looked at her blonde mane of curls, almost glowing, and at her flawless complexion and into her mesmerizing blue eyes, and the curve of her smile, because she is smiling._

_Smiling at him, sensing that he's going to do something, and knowing that now is not the time to interrupt, no matter how many jokes are flying through her brain. Freddie braced himself for whatever might happen, and said, "Sam, I love you," He didn't expect her smile to grow bigger and brighter, didn't expect the almost bone crushing strength embrace. He most certainly didn't expect her to reply, because Freddie already knew how she felt about him, like everything else in their relationship, that where she had made the first move._

_Still, it was touching when Sam replied, "I love you too, you cheesy dork,"_

So when Freddie whispers it to her in the cafeteria she pretends to be annoyed. When he exclaims it to her from behind the camera during iCarly, she makes a face. When he drops to one knee and says it with a ring in his hand, she is ecstatic though she tries to remain calm. When he claims it on their wedding day she returns it grudgingly. On their wedding night he shouts it so loudly she has to clamp a hand over his mouth. Every day they are together he manages to say it at least once. Sam loves that he knows how important it is for her to hear him say it, even when she doesn't always openly admit that she feels just the same way.

Sam has to thank Mrs. Benson for allowing Freddie to drive that night. Sam has to thank Carly for believing in her and supporting her and Freddie. Sam has to thank God or whoever that Freddie felt the same way about her. And Sam has to thank the moon and the stars because without who knows when, if ever, Freddie would have told her he loves her.

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><p>AN: Aw. That's all I have to say, aw. R&amp;R!<p> 


	45. Monkey

**AN: Another chapter up. I had to really think about this one. So I hope you all like it.**

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><p><strong>Monkey<strong>

**Sam's POV**

It had been a fans request for us to draw again. Why in the world, would anyone want to see a drawing that Carly had drawn again was beyond my imagination, but hey, our fans were weird. Freddie had shrugged nonchalantly and agreed to draw but I had been secretly ecstatic.

I've never exactly flaunted the fact that I can draw quite well, but I've never exactly hidden it either. My notebooks are filled with doodles and ideas for comic strips as well as notes for the next iCarly and plans for my next pranks, instead of what I should have been learning in school, during those boring lessons that they claim teach us things.

Still, the fans had asked and even Carly had settled on it. This time we would be drawing each other. We had put our names into the hat, Freddie skeptic because it was pretty likely one of us would draw our own names. I had laughed when Freddie had turned out to be completely wrong, as I often told him he was.

We had managed to draw each other's names and none of us picked ourselves on the first try. Carly had picked my name Freddie had picked hers, which had left me with Freddie himself. Freddie had been fearful determined that I was going to humiliate him in some way, which of course, I was.

Now, we were getting ready to show them on iCarly. Spencer was seated in the car-sculpture seats he built himself, for some reason and Gibby was relaxing next to him, having just performed one his entertaining albeit extremely strange stunts.

Freddie placed he camera on his tripod and came to join Carly and I on-screen. "Alright," I began, "So, a lot of you have been asking us to draw again,"

"And one viewer thought that would be great if we drew each other," Carly continued.

"So, we did," I finished, then gestured to Carly.

"Last time, when we drew our bunnies," Carly paused to take a deep breath, "Mine was awful, I have absolutely no artistic talent at all. So, I got my very wonderfully-talented-artist-older-brother Spencer, to draw my picture for me,"

Spencer gave a little wave as I pressed the button on the programmable roommate which made applause sound. "I colored it though," my best friend finished with a hint of pride as she flipped the paper on one of the three easels over to display her and Spencer's collaboration.

I hit the button again as I looked at the portrait of me. It was very life-like. It was almost like looking into a mirror. Spencer had drawn my face and gotten all the features down perfectly, then the hair, curls whipping around for some undrawn reason and although Spencer may have gotten the lines drawn and the shapes correct, it was Carly's color choices that made the picture breathtaking. I'd never even noticed I had that many different shades of blonde in my hair or how blue my eyes were, but there was no denying that it was me. It was definitely worth the sound-effect applause.

"Wow," I breathed, "Good job you guys,"

This time there was no unable to suppress urge to laugh at Carly's work even Freddie had stayed silent, with just a smile on his face. "Okay, next is Freddie with his drawing of yours truly," Carly announced clapping her hands enthusiastically.

Freddie revealed his drawing, and while it was nowhere near as good as the collaboration of Spencer and Carly it was decent. More cartoony and almost like a caricature, but still recognizable as Carly with shaded in hair and big eyes, in her hands a miniature PearPhone was clutched and her mouth was open into what could only be a laugh. "Fredison, I think that might deserve a," I press the button once again as clapping and cheers fill our small studio.

Freddie shoots me a quick grin and a nod before saying, "Your turn Sam,"

Then Freddie's apprehension returned as he remembered what, or rather who I had drawn. I smirked as I flipped my page back and Spencer, Gibby and Carly all let out loud laughs at my drawing.

I had drawn a monkey. Clearly a monkey, but with a tuft of hair on his head that resembled Freddie's hairstyle and a lopsided grin that was Freddie's trademark. The Freddie-Monkey was holding a camera, painstakingly drawn so that it was a perfect representation of the camera Freddie used to film iCarly.

"Sa-am!" Freddie complained drawing out my name, "That doesn't even look like me,"

I opened my mouth to answer but Carly beat me to it.

"Actually…" She started, tilting her head to look at the artwork more closely.

"It does look like you," Gibby continued.

"A lot like you," Spencer finished,

Freddie growled in frustration, "I do not look like a monkey!" he shouted clearly forgetting about the still-live webcast.

"No," I agreed, surprising him, "But that monkey sure looks like you,"

Freddie stalked back to his camera, finally remembering his job and signaling that we should wrap it up. As Carly and I said our goodbyes and Freddie announced we were clear, Spencer and Gibby were still admiring my masterpiece.

"This is great Sam," Spencer told me, and I found myself fighting back a grin at his praise.

"I still can't figure out how she got it to look so much like Freddie," Gibby said.

Carly frowned at that statement before glancing between me, the still-fuming Freddie and the drawing.

"Sam, how did you get it to look so much like Freddie?" her voice is full of curiosity and I had to think fast.

"I'm presented with his ugly mug so many times a day, I'm bound to notice some things" I was satisfied with that answer and pleased when Freddie stuck his tongue out at me.

They don't need to know the real reason why I could draw Freddie (and real Freddie not a monkey version of him) with my eyes closed is because I spend several minutes of the day staring at him. It's unintentional I swear, but sometimes I'm just drawn to the way he looks: how his forehead creases when he's concentrating on something really hard, how one side of his mouth lifts higher than the other when he smiles, how his hair flops down and into his eyes after a long day filled with hard work, and how straight his teeth are when he opens his mouth wide with laughter.

Freddie Benson might be a complete nub. He's a geek and doesn't hide it. He's irritatingly smart and gets straight As. He is as weak as a five year old girl and can't even come up with an insulting nickname. Yet, something about the way he speaks, the way he looks, and the way he acts, has kept me intrigued. That's why I steal glances and tease him jut to study how he reacts. That's why I can draw him as an animal but still pour so much of his personality and appearance into it. That's all, it's nothing else. It can't be anything else. It's just can't be.

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><p><strong>AN: I love still-in-denial Sam. I don't know why, but she's so fun to write. R&amp;R!<strong>


	46. Mistake

**AN: Wow, this chapter was hard to write. I hope you are all very angry with Freddie because that is my goal.**

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><p><strong>Mistake<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I hadn't even realized what I'd said until Sam wasn't arguing back. In fact, I froze with shock as I realized she had fled up the stairs. Nothing made sense when Carly didn't come rushing to my defense and Spencer was escorting me back across the hall.

Spencer was kicking me out of his apartment, a scowl on his face. I had never seen him so angry before, and his grip on my shoulder was so rough it was painful and he was shoving me back into my own apartment before calling for my mother.

What? I had been propelled the short distance by Spencer but now I was back to my frozen state watching, staring as my mother came out of the kitchen to talk to Spencer. It started out with just them talking then my mother's face fell and she was shaking her head and shouting at Spencer, I couldn't focus on the words; my heart was still pounding in my head.

I didn't snap out of it until I had heard our front door slam shut. My mom is looking at me with a frown on her face, "Fredward Benson," she started and I felt doomed, "Did you really say that to that… did you really say that to Samantha?" she decided on finally.

I nodded my head, and groaned, sinking down onto the floor. My mother looked at me sadly, "Really, Freddie, I'm disappointed,"

I groaned again, pressing my palms into my face wondering if I could go back in time. Disappointed is even worse than mad. Mom continued, "You need to set things right, young man," then I heard her footsteps fade away, and I was left sitting on the floor cursing myself.

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><p><strong>Spencer's POV<strong>

I was used to the arguing of the two. I knew my sister's best friends almost as well as she did. So I hadn't thought much of it when I saw them shouting at each other. But I had moved to stand beside Carly and joined her in watching them.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I heard words that I didn't think I would ever hear come from Freddie Benson's mouth. My little sister let out a shocked gasp and since Sam had been the one facing us I saw her composure crumble before she disappeared from the room at record speed. Carly glared at Freddie and I felt my mouth pressed into a thin line as I walked over to him, he hadn't moved since the he uttered his last syllable.

I grabbed his shoulder and pushed him forward, taking a deep breath to calm myself and not hurt him. I reminded myself that he was 16, and at 16 I had said some pretty stupid stuff as well. I'd never asked anyone to leave my loft before, but right now I wasn't asking. Freddie couldn't be in there after what he had said to Sam in front of me and Carly. And I had to be the adult in the situation and let Freddie's mother know what he had said.

"Marissa!" I practically bellowed and she rushed out, fear and concern for Freddie tumbling out of her mouth faster than ever before I gestured to her son who was standing stock-still gazing at us.

"Freddie's fine," I said quickly, sparing the teenager I was so angry with a glance to confirm that he was in fact fine, "But Sam's not."

"What did that delinquent do now?" Marissa shouted, waving her hands in the air and proclaiming that it was my responsibility to keep Freddie safe.

"Sam is not fine because of what Freddie said to her," I informed her, and Marissa seemed to almost deflate in front of me.

"What did Freddie say?" She asked and when I told her she shook her head, not believing me, telling me that she had raised her son better than that. And he would never call a girl that, not ever. Then I was angry with her as well, for not being able to see that Fredward Benson was not always the good boy she thought he was, for God's sake, he's sixteen years old.

I asked Marissa if I had ever come to her with something so serious before, and when she had to admit I hadn't I had told her it because I hadn't needed too, and Freddie needed to fix things but first he needed to give Sam some space.

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><p><strong>Carly's POV<strong>

As soon I sorted out what Freddie had said and where Sam had gone, I rushed up the stairs to our iCarly studio, remembering with fear that we had left a baseball up there and an upset Sam with a weapon was never good.

My fears were confirmed when I heard the yells and crashes that could only come from an armed Sam and as I turned towards the door I saw that the glass door to the studio had been shattered. Sam grunted as she lifted the bat and brought in down on Freddie's tech cart with a strength of a MMA professional.

I cried out as Freddie's laptop exploded into bits and the top shelf of the cart was knocked out of its proper place, slanting and causing the extra bits of tech stuff to slide to the floor. Sam threw the bat behind her then, and it clattered to the floor, and looked up at me, out of breath and flushed.

I stepped carefully through what used to be our door and skirted the remains of Freddie's laptop before approaching my best friend. I hesitated glancing at Sam's fist before moving faster when I realized they were unclenched and her head was hung and her hunched shoulders were shaking.

"Oh Sam," I said softly, wrapping her into a hug, and letting her fall against me. "He didn't mean it,"

"He still said it," was Sam's muffled reply.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I hadn't been this angry in ages. Hadn't felt the need to smash something into smithereens since the last time my mom and I had fought so violently I moved in with Carly and Spencer for a few days. On my way to Carly's that night and I smashed a mail box with a crow bar. I had thought that my mother was the only person in the world who could make me react like that. The last person I had expected to make me feel this way Freddie Benson. What he said rang over and over again in my head.

All because Freddie Benson had caught me flirting with an older guy, I had been trying to wrangle a free meal out of him. Mom didn't have the money to go grocery shopping until next payday, and I hadn't had lunch.

"_You're going to turn out just like her!" Freddie had shouted._

"_Just like who?" I had yelled back confused._

"_Your mother!" Freddie had exclaimed, "You will be a whore, just like her!"_

As I found the weapon of my choice and the awful thing he had called me echoed in my brain I crashed it into the glass iCarly door. Feeling only slightly better when the glass door shattered completely, I realized that I wasn't mad at the door, but at Freddie himself. So I turned towards his trusted tech cart and hefted the bat over my head.

It wasn't until the laptop was only pieces and the tech cart was broken beyond repair and I had thrown the bat away that I noticed Carly's present. I wasn't angry anymore, the vandalism had taken care of that, but I was still hurt. Hurt and trying not to show it, when Carly's pulled me into a hug. I heard her call my name, and tell me that Freddie didn't mean it, but that wasn't what mattered.

What mattered was what I told Carly, "He still said it,"

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><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

I had sat on my floor in the front area of my apartment just behind the door for hours. I had ripped myself to pieces realizing that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life and I had to do something to fix it. If Sam would let me, hell, I wasn't even sure that Spencer would let me back into 8C. So, I stood, wiped my eyes free of the angry tears I had cried for Sam and took a deep breath.

I knocked on my mother's bedroom door and when she called back to me without opening it, I told her where I was going and she agreed that it was a good idea. So I walked with a purpose to the Shay's apartment and for the first time in a couple of years I knocked and waited for someone else to answer the door.

I cringed as I saw Spencer's tall frame on the other side of the doorway, "Listen Spencer, I'm really sorry," I began.

"It's not me you need to apologize too," Spencer raised an eyebrow, "Now is it?"

"No, you're right, can I talk to Sam?" I asked, therefore asking for permission to enter the Shay apartment something I've never felt the need to do before.

"If she'll let you, sure," Spencer stepped backwards and motioned for me to come inside.

"Are they upstairs?" I asked.

"Sam destroyed some of the iCarly studio," was Spencer's response.

I winced, "I'll pay for the damages," I promised him.

"Don't worry about it," Spencer told me evenly, "It was mostly your stuff,"

I nodded and head up the stairs, surprised when I found that there was no door in place anymore, and something glittered where the door used to be, it was a missed shard of glass. Then I caught sight of what used to be my laptop and how off-balance my tech cart seemed to be. Seated on the hood of the car were Sam and Carly, and when they saw me, Carly slid off the car and stood in a protective stance in front of Sam.

It was a strange sight to see. Usually Sam formed the wall of protection in front of Carly whenever she saw an ex-boyfriend or a girl that was jealous of her and had threatened to endanger her in some way (usually by spreading rumors), and now Carly was protecting Sam… from me… of all people.

I took another deep breath, "Listen, can I talk to Sam?"

Carly set her hands on her hips and frowned at me shaking her head, "Not unless she wants to talk to you,"

Sam tapped Carly on the shoulder and Carly turned around to face her, "It's okay, let him talk."

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

"Do you want me to stay?" Carly asked locking her eyes with me, and I shook my head but thanked her for being the best friend to ever exist. Carly pressed the elevator button and took that down the stairs so she could monitor Freddie and I for a moment longer.

Then I looked up at Freddie, taking in his rumpled appearance his tear-streaked face, "Have you been crying?" I asked bewildered.

Freddie nodded but said quickly, "That's not what I wanted to talk about though, do you remember that night on the fire escape?"

He was bringing up the taboo topic, it must have been serious, "Of course I do," I said carefully, in case he was going to twist the events in order to prove his earlier comment.

"You apologized so you could start over," Freddie said and I nodded to show I remembered, "I was just wondering, if I could get the same deal, because Sam, I am the biggest asshole in the world and I feel like shit and I am so, so, so sorry you don't even know how sorry I am, and I understand if you never want to see or hear from me ever again and if you beat me up and break both my arms and legs and make it so I can never have children because I deserve all of those things, what I said to you was way worse than any of the things I've ever done to you," he finished his rant.

I stared at him, surprised once again by his red-rimmed eyes and reminded myself that I hadn't been the only one to share tears over this fight and that Freddie had given me that second chance at being his friend. I owed him that much at least, "Remember how I said I would have to apologize every few years to make up for all the things I do to you?"

Freddie nodded, stunned that I was the one referencing that night now. "Well, I suppose I could allow you the same courtesy,"

"You mean if I say something stupid every few years you'll accept my very, very, sincere apology?" Freddie questioned.

"Yeah," I answered.

"How about just forgiving me this once?" Freddie asked, "Because never, ever, ever, will I say something like that to anyone, especially you, ever again," he paused then repeated, "I'm sorry,"

"Apology accepted," I stood, finally, facing him full on, as he extended his hand.

"Friends?" Freddie asked, uncertainly.

"I don't think just a handshake will do," I replied.

Freddie tilted his head questioningly, before a look of understanding crossed his face and he opened his arms, allowing me to make the next move. I took the few steps toward him then folded my arms up around his back as his arms closed around my waist. In the back of my mind I wondered when Freddie had started to tower over me, when he bent down and whispered in my ear once more, "I am so sorry Sam,"

I pulled away then, stepping backwards, "It's alright Freddie, you're forgiven, I stopped being angry after I crushed your laptop,"

Freddie looked sadly at the remains of his computer for a moment but then shook his head, "I can fix the tech cart and buy a new laptop, but Sam, you can't be replaced."

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><p><strong>AN: Freddie is still feeling awful about what he said, as he should. But Sam forgives him, after all he did give her another chance, doesn't he deserve one? I hated writing this but loved it at the same time. A distressed Freddie, an angry Spencer, a protective Carly and an upset Sam were all challenges. R&amp;R!<strong>


	47. Mischief

**AN: I cleared 400 reviews! That's amazing! Thanks everyone. **

**There's actually very little mischief in a chapter titled mischief. But everyone adored Spencer in the last chapter I wanted to write some more of him. Always fun.**

**First a few responses to the reviews I can't PM.  
><strong>

**Im-just-peachy: Ah, an interesting thing to think Freddie said, and I considered not ever letting people know exactly what Freddie said. But I'm glad you liked my final decision. I know angry-adult-acting Spencer is amazing.**

**Cayology: Thanks. Yes, lots of people seemed to love Spencer in this chapter.**

**Now onto the chapter :) **

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><p><strong>Mischief<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I had to test my lock-picking skills to enter the Shay's apartment, which is why I was surprised when I came face to face with Spencer. "I thought you were supposed to be on a date!" I exclaim frustrated.

Spencer raises his eyebrows, "I am on a date," he says. It's only then that I notice that soft music and the sounds of the shower from the direction of Spencer's bedroom and the bathroom across the hall from it.

My mouth forms a small 'o' and I do realize I'm interrupting, "So… Carly's not back yet?" I ask trying to cover up the awkward.

"Nope, tomorrow night," Spencer replies as if he's talked to his younger sister's best friend with someone waiting for him in the shower all the time, "Why aren't you with Freddie?"

I groan slightly at the mention of my boyfriend's name, "He's with his mom… they're…" I pause trying to remember what Freddie had told me they were doing, "doing something," I finish lamely.

"So why are you here?" Spencer asks, genuinely interested in my business, and pretending not to hear his date calling his name. "What sort of mischief are you up to tonight?"

"Just came to raid the fridge," I shrug, that's not the real reason I had come here.

"Go ahead," Spencer nods, "But you should be be quick," he warns, then takes another look at me, "Unless that's not why you came here?"

I shrug again, but make no movement towards the fridge instead sitting down on the Shay's couch.

Spencer sighs and says, "Give me a minute okay?"

I don't reply in any way as Spencer heads to the bathroom, and I hear the door creak open. Then I try to ignore the giggling and shrieking I hear, as Spencer returns, his hair sopping wet. He sits down next to me on the couch, "What is it, Sam?"

"I told Freddie I loved him," I say quietly. "Awhile ago,"

Spencer smiles down at me, "Did you lie to him?"

I shake my head, "I do love him," I pause, "That's not the problem,"

"So what is the problem Sam?" Spencer's voice is filled with concern.

"He doesn't love me," I say quietly, "Or he hasn't said it anyway… I mean, I told him not to say it when I said it because I wanted him to mean it, but now I think that he might not ever say it, and I really wish I could talk to Carly about this but she's still in Yakima and just the fact that Freddie never had any problems telling Carly he loved her… why won't he say it to me? Does he not love me?"

Spencer looks shocked at my rant before a grin creeps onto his face, "Sam, he does care about you, a lot. He wouldn't be dating you if he didn't have feelings for you. And did it ever occur to you that Freddie might not have told you because he's scared?"

"But he was never afraid to tell Carly," I insist.

"Yeah, but he never really loved her," Spencer rolls his eyes at me, "Freddie will tell you when he's ready,"

I take a deep breath and nod, and Spencer reaches over to ruffle my hair, I swat his hands away playfully, as he asks, "Feeling better kiddo?"

"A little," I reply standing and Spencer stands as well, "Thanks Spencer, have fun tonight," I cringe at my words as Spencer laughs and winks.

"Go cause some mischief Sam," he tells me as he shuts the door behind me. I make my way to the lobby of Bushwell Plaza when I run into Freddie and his mother.

"Sam!" He cries happily, "What are you doing here? Carly's not back yet is she?"

"Nope," I reply, smiling at him, "But I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop in and say hello to Spencer, hi Mrs. Benson," I manage to say politely.

Freddie glances at his watch, "Mom is it okay if I take Sam out for smoothies?" he asks.

Mrs. Benson frowns slightly but agrees, saying, "Okay, but be home by ten thirty, and make sure Samantha," I roll my eyes but don't say anything, I've stopped trying to get her to call me Sam, "gets home safely too, okay?"

"Okay," Freddie says, "Thanks Mom," and tugs on my hand, pulling me out the door and across the road to the Groovy Smoothie. As soon as were out of sight of the apartment building Freddie wraps me in his arms and says, "Thank goodness, I was afraid I might have to do another puzzle,"

Suddenly, I remember where Freddie has been all day and I laugh. He had been at a mother-son puzzle competition, "I missed you," Freddie says opening the door to the Groovy Smoothie for me.

"You're such a dweeb," I tell him, as I enter one of our favorite hangouts, then I tell him, "I was going to raid the Shay's fridge but Spencer had a lady-friend over,"

"A lady-friend?" Freddie echoes with a bit of a knowing smirk on his face.

"Yup, so… get me some fries with that smoothie okay?" I order as I take a seat.

"Sure thing Sam," Freddie laughs as he walks up to the counter.

When he returns with the plate of crinkle-cut fries and two smoothies I sigh happily. "I love you," I say to him, finding it easier each time I say it, because he doesn't make a big deal out of it.

"You're only saying that because I brought you food," he jokes, though I know he doesn't mean it, "And you mean the world to me Sam,"

And while that's not "I love you," it's good enough for now.

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><p><strong>AN: Haha Spencer's date is probably my favorite part of this chapter. R&amp;R<strong>


	48. Makeup

**AN: I always see so many fics about Sam being jealous of Carly… I wanted to do something different. Also I just wanted to let you all know that I won't be here for pretty much the whole next week, I'm going to my best friend's boyfriend's grandparent's farm... I know that's complicated right? Well, my best friend and her boyfriend are going with me obviously, and he just got out of the hospital, so we're celebrating that he's going to be okay. Far too long of a note about my life, here's the chapter.**

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><p><strong>Makeup<strong>

Freddie was enjoying the moment. Sam was leaning against him and for once not arguing about his choice of movie. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders and his gaze half on the TV, half on his girlfriend, when suddenly her phone vibrated across the coffee table in front of them.

Sam glanced at her phone and groaned as she realized she couldn't reach it without moving. She flung herself forward a bit faster than she had expected and nearly lost her balance before picking up her fairly new PearPhone. She clicked a few times to unlock it and access the text then stood up suddenly, startling Freddie.

"Where're you going?" Freddie asked from his spot on his couch, almost whining.

"To the mall with Carly," Sam answered with a smile, "Glitter Gloss is have a buy one get two free sale,"

"I don't understand," Freddie mumbled.

"You don't understand a lot of things," Sam agreed, "But what exactly is the point you're trying to make?"

"Why do you go to that store with Carly? It's not even like you wear that stuff, well, not a lot of it anyway," Freddie said, crossing his arms.

"Are you sulking?" Sam asked with a small grin.

"Maybe," Freddie shrugged, "I just… don't get it,"

"It's not about the makeup, Fredward," Sam informs him, sitting down on the edge of the couch, and shooting off a quick text about Freddie being a baby and she'll be about 5 minutes.

"Then what is it about?" Freddie asked raising an eyebrow.

"Bonding," Sam replied, "Advice about guys for Carly, advice about clothes for me, filling Carly in, on all the embarrassing things you've done that she's missed,"

Freddie sat up straighter, "You talk about me?" he sounded worried.

"Yup, all the time," Sam said nonchalantly.

"Good things? Bad things?" Freddie asked his voice rising a little bit.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Oh please, like you and Carly don't talk about me, let's face it, you're a bigger girl than I am."

Freddie thinks back on it, remembering his last few moments spent with just Carly no Sam. Carly had asked what he was planning for their upcoming six month anniversary and had launched into every detail; before realizing that Carly told Sam everything so there was no way that he could surprise Sam without changing his entire plan now. "Well, I suppose you're right," he concludes.

"See? We talk about each other even when were away, I tell Carly all the things I find annoying about you and then she reminds me why I'm dating you…" Sam shook her head, "Sometimes I really wonder about my sanity. But I'm sure you complain about me all the time too…"

Freddie started to deny that but then laughed, "I guess I do… but she reminds me all the good things about you too… what would we do without her?"

"I don't know what you would do without Carly," Sam said, "But it would be the most awful thing that has ever happened to me if she left. I love her to pieces," she confessed, "Which is why, I most now endure which pink looks better on her – it's ridiculous, everything looks gorgeous on Carly, she's beautiful – for hours and then spend the night at her place as she giggles and tells me about her latest crush and makes me watch a sappy movie, do you understand that?"

Freddie does. He knows that Sam hasn't had many people who stuck by her all her life. He knows that Carly has essentially been there for every important moment of Sam's life since they met. "Yeah, I get it Sam… I just miss you whenever you're gone, you know?"

Sam rolled her eyes again, "Freddie, we'll be back in a few hours, then how about the three of us grab dinner, your treat?" then she stood up.

Freddie laughed, "Sounds good, pizza?" and he got up as well, to walk her to the door. He opened the door, for Sam just as Carly exited the apartment across the hall.

"Pizza for dinner Carls?" Sam shouted despite the fact they were nearly face to face.

"Sounds awesome!" Carly shouted right back, used to Sam's tendency to be too loud, much like Carly's older brother as well.

"Freddie's paying," Sam said with a grin, as she walked over to stand beside Carly.

"Of course he is," Carly said with a light laugh, "Do you want to join us at the mall, Freddie?" she offered.

Freddie paused to think back on his most recent conversation with Sam, "And be dragged to Glitter Gloss and probably Build-A-Bra? No thanks,"

As the girls headed to the elevator, waving, Freddie pondered the ridiculous feeling he had felt before. He never thought he'd see the day where he had been jealous of Carly. It was silly now, he knew, because Sam loved him, and in a different way, so did Carly. They would never leave him out of their lives, but they also needed their own time away from him, and Freddie was only happy to give it. Besides, he had time now to watch a Galaxy Wars movie without Sam criticizing every aspect of his favorite film.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you all liked it. R&amp;R!<strong>


	49. Love

**AN: Woo hoo! Sorry I haven't updated. I've been away for a week, and had to take my Grandmother to an eye appointment. Plus I have over 100 mosquito bites from my farm trip. It's awful. I'm apparently delicious. However, I did get to ride on ATV which I've never done before, so awesome.**

**Warning: This is set after iOMG and has spoilers for iLost My Mind. Watch the BTS and promos if you don't mind spoilers, and you should get my references. If not, you should just not read this chapter. I hope you all like it.**

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><p><strong>Love<strong>

Freddie Benson thought he knew all about love. He thought he loved Carly for years. Freddie worshipped her, he asked her out and he complimented her. He did all the right things. But it didn't get him anywhere. Nope, he had to take on a freakin' taco truck to get a chance with her, and even that turned out horribly. Freddie still doesn't quite know what he was thinking, breaking up with a girl like Carly.

But still, Freddie thinks he knows about love. He knows your heart is supposed to beat faster, your palms are supposed to sweat and that your face reddens, blushing, usually from embarrassment at making a fool of yourself in front of the person you like. Freddie tries to ignore that all of these so called symptoms happen when he's around Sam. It has to be fear with her, he convinces himself, as the signs are similar to fear.

So when he finds Sam's lips on his, essentially professing her love (he had seen the results of his MoodFace app) he's confused. He thought he had known all about love.

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><p>Sam doesn't know a thing about love, except what she hears from Carly, and she's really not sure Carly knows what love really is. Sam knows what family love is, it's been missing from her mother for years, although recently it almost seems like her mother has been trying. She's not succeeding necessarily, but Sam has to thank her lucky stars that at least she's trying and the food is stocked this month.<p>

She knows of course, that in the family way, Carly loves her. Sam loves Carly too, but Carly's the only one who's ever really stated aloud that she loves Sam. It's nice to hear the words from someone's mouth. She thinks Spencer loves her too, with his sometimes over-protective acts, really, she's not Carly, and she can take care of herself. But as for romantic love, all Sam has to go on is the movies Carly forces her to watch (and those all seems so fake) and the guys Carly's dated (because those have all turned out so well), and the miniscule amount of boys she herself has dated (which ended even more brutally then Carly's relationships for the most part).

So when Freddie's mood app, declares she's in love, and people (Freddie and Carly) assume its Brad, she decides to do something about it. She kisses Freddie and knows that this must be some sort of love.

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><p>Three days later Carly thinks that Sam might have checked the wrong person in the mental hospital. Freddie seems so shocked that she knows about the kiss (it wasn't like it was in a private place). She rolls her eyes at him, and notices how agitated he is. Carly can see him trying to hide his worry for Sam, and how he doesn't even hesitate when Carly announce that they're going to the mental hospital. They both need Sam. Because they both love her… but Freddie can't see it the way she does, he is still having trouble processing the fact that Sam kissed him.<p>

Sam's even worse. When they get to mental hospital and Carly asks Sam what she's doing here, she of course replies with a witty answer. Carly has to admit the painting is good and captivating, but why is the hand in an "L-shape" the commonly known loser sign, is that really how Sam thinks of herself? So when Sam leans in closer, whispering "do you know?" then clutches her ears as Carly explains her side of the story. Of course she knows, she saw it, and why is there anything wrong with that? There shouldn't be. Carly thinks that Sam and Freddie would be an awesome couple if they could stop fighting for more than a day. She's seen them hang out for hours, and they do have quite a few things in common. For instance, there both as stubborn as mules and they both drive Carly insane.

Carly wonders if love has been in front of her all along. She always thought Spencer would be the first to fall in love, but even with the amount of girls he has dated, he hasn't said that's the one yet. Freddie gave up a year on a cruise boat for Sam. Sam apologized to Freddie, then kissed him, then kissed him again two years later, and apologized. Carly's sensing a pattern between Sam and Freddie. A push and a pull, the negative and the positive, and she thinks that maybe, this might actually be love.

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><p><strong>AN: Ahhh, 7 days! I am very excited. Don't forget to watch the Teen Choice Awards tomorrow! Well, you don't really have to, but I'm going too. Don't forget to R&amp;R! Seriously, don't forget that!<strong>


	50. Locker

**AN: Poor Miranda Cosgrove broke her ankle, get well soon Miranda! I wanted to post this before iLost My Mind because I won't be able to watch in Canada and I won't even be home tonight or tomorrow night . So, I hope you guys enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Locker<strong>

Freddie is the kind of guy who likes to present Sam with gifts even though there's always a chance she'll a) roll her eyes b) throw it away or c) insult him in some way, usually involving an inventive nickname. So he surprises her with bacon in the hallways, or with tickets to a fight, despite the eye-rolling consequences. Freddie knows that Sam appreciates the gifts because later, when they're alone usually, he gets an extra hug or even a quick kiss or two (or three or four).

Freddie is also the one who remembers the dates. Sam calls him a girl a lot, and he shoots back that she must be a lesbian if he's a girl, and she shrugs nonchalantly. But still, Freddie is the one who has their anniversary circled on his calendar at home, as well as a message set to remind him one week before on his computer.

So, on what is their six month anniversary (Freddie can hardly believe he survived dating Sam for six months), he presents Sam with a bouquet. Sam takes the flowers, with a quick roll of the eyes, before she takes a closer look at them.

The roses, six of them, one for each month, are actually bacon sculpted (courtesy of Spencer) into roses, and as soon as Sam realizes and inhales a whiff of what has to be Bolivian bacon, she begins to devour them. Within seconds the meat is gone, and the fake stems and white wrapping into the trash and she hears Carly's laughter, as Freddie pulls out a new bunch of flowers, six again, but this time actually roses, and hands them to her.

Carly coos aw, and even Sam thinks that it was sweet he got her flowers and bacon. Though, she preferred the bacon, she carries the flowers around, and answers the question everyone's asking her, dutifully, "6 months, we've been dating 6 months," and Freddie thinks this is a major improvement, because she hasn't killed anyone, and she's admitted to dating him, something she hadn't even mention in public until about 2 months after they actually started dating.

Freddie never expects anything in return. Which is good, because Sam doesn't usually have the money, and isn't really a gift-giving person. Still it's not that she doesn't care but it's better for her reputation if it appears she doesn't, which is why Sam found a secret way of letting Freddie know how she feels.

* * *

><p>The first time Freddie found something that didn't belong in his locker he was suspicious. It was out of place, on the floor, and on an angle, not like everything else, which was in its proper place. So, remembering that Sam has a tendency to pull pranks on him, he picks up the envelope very carefully.<p>

Freddie shakes it, as he holds it at arms' length, counts to ten and waits for something bad to happen. Finally, he cautiously peels open the flap and finds a gift card worth $15 for the Groovy Smoothie, he glances around for a note, then finally finds the sentence on the inside of the flap.

_Take your super hot girlfriend out this afternoon._

Freddie laughs knowing that this is Sam's gift to him, and he appreciates it, even if part of it has to go to buying her a smoothie.

The second time Freddie opens his locker and finds a gift, it is more obvious that it's a gift. It's still sitting on the floor of his locker, but it's fairly boxed shaped and wrapped in this morning's newspaper. Well, that certainly explained why Freddie couldn't find the newspaper when his mother had asked for it at breakfast. So he picked up the package and ripped into it, almost like a little kid at Christmas. Inside he saw a box filled with a bunch of photographs and a small rolled up poster. He unrolled the poster and smiled as he saw the picture of him, Carly and Sam holding up their award in Japan.

He noticed the poster was signed by both Carly and Sam, and there was a note on the top of the file of photographs.

_You should hold onto this, it might be worth a load of money someday. Unless, you sign it too – then it's practically worthless._

The third time Freddie found a present, it was a week after his six month anniversary with Sam. This time he didn't even notice it until he was looking for his math textbook, and found in its place a boxed set of Galaxy War DVDs. Freddie smiled, remembering he had complained to Sam that his DVDs kept skipping from overuse and she told him to stop being a baby and a nerd at the same time. A small folded card sat on top of the case. Freddie picked it up and flipped it open.

_Maybe you'll shut up about Nug-Nug now, but I doubt it._

_P.S. Happy 6 Months; hard to believe you're still alive isn't it?_

Freddie closed his locker, leaving the DVDs in there for safekeeping and went to go find Sam. He wanted to thank her for the awesome gift, plus he needed his math book back

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><p><strong>AN: I think I would honestly prefer bacon over roses…I hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&amp;R!<strong>


	51. Lips

**AN: I quoted a Disney Movie here: One of my favourites actually, although I may have been paraphrasing it. BTW, I Lost My Mind was amazing. Freddie was just the sweetest in it and it made me laugh a lot.**

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><p><strong>Lips<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I'm pretty sure Freddie's obsessed with my hair. He tugs on a piece to get me to pay attention to him, he runs his fingers through it (a feat I would've thought impossible) while we're watching movies together. He brushes my bangs out of my eyes, when we're having serious face-to-face conversation, and he's constantly kissing the crown of my head and wondering what shampoo I use. I switch it up every so often just to confuse him, just 'cause I'm dating him doesn't mean I can't have some fun.

So, tonight, as we sit on my bed, and Freddie sets up a movie on his laptop I decide to tease him about it. Freddie leans back against my headboard and I lean back against him, as there's really not much space on my twin sized bed. "I can't believe I'm watching this movie," I complain as Freddie hits play and the theme to Galaxy Wars starts to play.

"You are the best girlfriend ever," Freddie whispers, before locking his eyes on the screen, and the look of pure concentration on his face makes me laugh. Before we're even five minutes into the movie, I feel Freddie's hands starts to move through my hair. He's running his fingers between the strands and I let out a light sigh, because I have to admit, though only to myself, that it does feel nice.

"Freddie," I say.

He replies with an absent-minded, "Hmmmm?"

"Why do you have an obsession with my hair?" I ask casually, and expecting a joke in return.

To my complete surprise, Freddie pauses his beloved movie and replies, "You think it's just the hair?"

"Well, yeah, you're always playing with it," I shrug.

"It's not just the hair Sam," Freddie says, lifting me so we're both sitting up, and now facing each other, "It's your eyes," he places a hand on my face, "Your cheeks," he leans close and places a light kiss on the other side of my face, "Your lips," here he presses a kiss to my lips but it's over before I even get a chance to respond, "But it's not even that you're beautiful,"

Here I roll my eyes even as my heart tries to beat its way out of my chest, because as much as I love that he calls me beautiful and he's sincere about it, Freddie is still the cheesiest person I know. "It's also your sense of humor, your passion, your creativity, your determination when it's something you really want, and heck, even your appetite, I'm obsessed with you Sam,"

I stunned into a rare moment of silence, knowing that Freddie means this and it should sound a little creepy, but from him, it just sounds sweet. "Freddie," I finally say, so quietly, I wonder if he even heard me, although his eyes are still locked on mine, "I like that you're obsessed with me…even the hair,"

Freddie lets out a slight laugh, "I know," he says with a smirk, "You always sigh when I do this," Freddie reaches out again to pull his hand through the blonde strands. "It's part of why I do it, I like making you happy,"

We lean back as Freddie hits the play command, "Plus you go out of your way to do things for me, you're watching Galaxy Wars, you swore you'd go blind before you willingly watched this,"

"Well, Fredward, you do crazy things for the people you love," I lean my head against Freddie's chest and grin as his hands automatically start to comb through my locks once more and he presses his lips against my lips first, then my forehead, and then the top of my head.

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><p><strong>AN: I must explain my obsession with Sam's hair caused me to write this. I hope you liked it. R&amp;R!<strong>


	52. Lecture

**AN: Remember how I told you my laptop is severly broken? That's what's slowing down the updates. SORRY! I should be getting a new one soon.**

**THANKS I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE 500 reviews and I'm only halfway though this fic. It's amazing. So thanks to everyone who's reviewed and thanks to everyone who's added me to their alert lists. And an extra special thanks to everyone who's done both and who have recommended this fic to someone else.**

**Vyctoria: I know. It's the blonde curls that are just so tempting to write about.**

**Cayology: I try to update sooner, but my poor laptop really needs to just die. It literally runs on Windows XP, and it's missing a key and a couple of pieces of it have snapped off.**

**OneDream 2Dream: AHHH 500 reviews that's amazing! Thanks for reading! Sorry about the typos. And yeah I love Wonderland too! I was just there on Friday! Good times.**

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><p><strong>Lecture<strong>

**Sam's POV**

"Do not hit anyone," Carly says completely serious, "Don't just take food off the counters, please try to keep the insults to yourself, wait until a second helping is served if it's good food, don't spit it out, even if it taste like poo, do not make fun of Freddie like you do here, and most importantly, please remember to use your utensils."

I roll my eyes at Carly's rant, "Are you seriously giving me a lecture Carly?"

"Yes!" Carly exclaims are her front door opens and Freddie enter the apartment.

"Freddie," I complain, "Carly's lecturing me and it's all your fault,"

"All my fault..." He asks, "How so?

"Yes, your fault. And because you're family is the one having the stupid party and you're the one who's making me go!" I yell.

Freddie laughs, "Okay, fair enough, I accept all blame and responsibility for the food fight that will probably occur," he turns to Carly for a moment, "Thanks for trying anyway Carls," then looks back at me, "Okay, Sam, I just have to go grab some stuff my mom wants me to bring out to the car and then will go, meet me in the hall in like two minutes?" I nod and Freddie leaves the apartment.

"Sam, will you please try and be on your best behaviour?" Carly begs, "If not for me... for Freddie?"

I sigh and nod, "Alright, I promise not to start any food fights, but if anyone tries to make me eat tofu, they're going down."

Carly lets out a sigh of her own, but gives me a quick goodbye hug anyway.

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><p>I stretch as we pull into one of the streets of the suburbs of Tacoma, and I get out of Freddie's mother's car. I lean back wincing as I hear my spine creak and crack a couple of times. Freddie grins at me, and says, "Ready to meet my family?"<p>

"Not at all," I answer.

But they all come out the front door anyway and rushing over to hug Mrs. Benson and then to pinch Freddie's cheek and gesture towards me, "And who's this young lady?"

"That's Samantha, Freddie's girlfriend," Mrs. Benson replies pursing her lips.

I grit my teeth and say as politely as I can manage, "I prefer Sam,"

Freddie grins at me and then starts to introduce me, "This is my aunt Jennifer and Uncle Roger," he says motioning to a sickeningly cute married couple. "And this is my cousin Amanda," there a girl a few years older than us is snapping gum loudly and her greasy hair is up in pigtails and she has cokebottle glasses that keep sliding down her nose. She's also wearing close that are extremely inappropriate for a family get together, a tube top, boots that go up to her thighs and a mini skirt that would be better classified as a belt. I'm still staring at Amanda trying to hide my disgust as Freddie introduces another aunt and I miss her name.

I stare at him questioningly and he whispers, "The one with the rash," and I remember then and have to bite my tongue to stop myself from asking if it's still spreading. Then finally Freddie says, "And of course you remember Stephanie, although she might not remember you,"

The baby-turned-toddler who now has hair the same shade as Freddie's smiles widely at him, and tugs at the hem of his shirt, "Who's that?" she asks pointing at me.

Freddie starts to answer her when the three year old cuts across him, " She's so pretty! Is she a princess?"

Laughing Freddie nods, "Yes, she is, Stephanie, that's Princess Puckett,"

"Hi!" Stephanie says excitedly, "I've never met a real princess before!"

In all the overwhelming chaos of meeting Freddie's extended family, I never expected this little girl to attach herself to me, but I'm not going to lie, I've had experience with kids, and they haven't been bad at all. Kids seem to like me, and I don't know why, so I smile down at Stephanie, who is already my favorite member of the Benson family and say, "Hi Stephanie,"

"If you're a princess is Freddie prince charming?" She asks.

I snort a little, and reply, "Well, he tries to be,"

* * *

><p>As we all crowd around the table I try to remember the lecture Carly had given to me, about proper dinner table manners. I can't, and so instead I turn to look at Stephanie who had insisted on seating herself between me and Freddie.<p>

She's been going on and on, and I can't really say I've been paying that much attention to her, just trying to quietly sip my soda (it's a special occasion so Mrs. Benson is even allowing Freddie to have some).

"Do you have a unicorn?" Stephanie asks.

"Of course I do," I reply instantly, "What kind of princess would I be if I didn't have a unicorn?"

"A lame one!" Stephanie replies which causes me to clap a hand over my mouth so I don't spit soda all over the table and Freddie to look wide-eyed at his little cousin, but thankfully no one else has overheard her.

"What's your unicorns name?" the little girl asks, pushing the vegetables around on her plate, until someone reminds her to eat her veggies and she takes a few small bites.

"Mason." I reply before politely declining more vegetables, and trying to fill the gap in my stomach with more Peppy Cola.

"My unicorn's name is Peggy," Stephanie continues to chatter about her unicorn as I drain my glass, and then let out a loud burp. Everyone's head turns towards me and I mumble an "Excuse me," before they all go back to their meals.

Except for Stephanie, she's staring at me in awe. "I didn't know that princesses could burp!"

I start to laugh at that, "Everyone burps Stephanie... even princesses,"

Freddie cuts across me this time, "But princesses have the best manners so they always excuse themselves after they burp,"

* * *

><p>Just before we're about to climb back into the car, Stephanie launches herself into Freddie's arms for a big hug and says, "Thanks for the princess!"<p>

Freddie laughs, gives her a big squeeze then puts her on the ground gently. She then runs over to me and grabs onto my legs tightly, "Byeeee, Princess Puckett, come back soon!"

"Bye Stephanie," I say as a smile spreads across my face, it's hard not to love this kid.

Freddie's mom gets into the driver's seat and we both climb into the back seat. "I had no idea you were so amazing with kids," Freddie whispers, as his mother concentrates on safely entering the freeway.

"Yeah, I'm just full of surprises," I say reaching over to grab Freddie's hand and intertwining my fingers with him.

"Steph's going to want to see you every time we visit now, you know?" Freddie says with a slight smirk.

"Well, she might be worth it," I shrug,

"Oh yeah?" Freddie says.

I keep my voice low so only Freddie can hear me, "Yeah, she's my favorite Benson," the look on Freddie's face, torn between insulted (because he's not my favorite) and adoring (because I'm actually admitting that I like a Benson) is priceless.

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><p><strong>AN: HOPE YOU LIKED IT! R&amp;R! <strong>

**PS: I got most of my info about Freddie's family off the iCarly wiki, but also some of it came from my imagination.**


	53. Laugh

**AN: Haha, this chapter didn't even occur to me until I saw iPity the Nevel the other day, which is when most of this chapter is set, the only difference being the flashback which is from iPie. **

**Cayology: Thanks! I thought so too.**

**ACRStheuniverse: That's cool, I'll have to check it out some day.**

**Cloudcrossing: Well, thank you very much. I work hard to keep the characters in character even when dealing with situations that won't occur on the show. Jealousy's coming up soon!**

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><p><strong>Laugh<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Sam was laughing! Carly was laughing too, but usually she at least tried to laugh at one of my admittedly lame jokes. But it was Sam who was laughing, and for once, not at me, but at a joke I had made. She actually seemed more stunned than anything else, but she had laughed had high fived him. She had even said "That was pretty good!" That was like declaring me one of her best friends live on iCarly in my opinion.

It could happen, but it's very, very, very unlikely to occur. So this was a goal. Sam was laughing, and again, I must point out, not at me. All because of Nevel, a karma party and "Just desserts," Then Gibby has to go and just stun Carly and Sam even more by saying "I don't get it,"

Oh Gibby. Still, I'm not going to let it ruin my mood. Being funny is important to me. I know it shouldn't be, I 'm good at a lot of other things. I'm not being cocky, it's just the truth. I'm great with tech stuff, I get straight As, and I've been told by people (girls) that I'm one of the nicest guys they know. And all that is good but when you're two best friends and worst enemies are the funniest people you know, and you're responsible for the technical part of a comedy web show being funny is important.

It had always been an insecurity of mine, but I had managed to keep it to myself until I could not make Baby Stephanie laugh. It was awful. If I couldn't make a baby who laughed at everything and everyone laugh, then how could I make other people laugh? And if I couldn't make other people laugh, then why was I even part of iCarly? So of course, I had asked Carly about it, and Sam had been there as well, and she never misses a chance to make fun of me.

"_Do you guys think I'm funny?" I had asked._

_Carly's "Mmmm, yeah," and Sam's "You're funny…" were not reassuring at all, especially since Sam's sounded like it could have been, "You're funny when I'm beating you up,"._

_I had flopped down onto the couch and Carly had sat down beside me, "Why do you care if you're funny?" her seeing the look on my face made her immediately try to correct herself but it was too late, the damage had already been done. "I mean, I'm not saying you're not funny,"_

_There I cut her off, "Yes you are!"_

"_I know, but why do you care?"_

Even though I had explained about baby Stephanie that question had still haunted me. Why did I care? Finally, I figured it out why it bothered me so much. It was because girls liked funny guys, and if I couldn't even get a baby girl to laugh then what were the chances of me getting a teenage girl to laugh?

It turns out I could get teenage girls to giggle, but the giggled at just about everything. I usually cracked a stupid joke and it could get a group of girls to giggle, but even I didn't think the jokes were funny. I figured my recent growth spurt (I had finally outgrown Carly and now felt as though I towered over Sam) had something to do with the giggling.

So when Carly had asked me if I would be the vampire in their parody of all those stupid teen-vampire romance flicks, I had agreed. It was a chance to make people laugh. Then after the first airing of it, that's when I had finally made the people who had counted laugh. I wasn't sure why it mattered so much to me, but Sam laughing had lifted a weight off my shoulders.

Maybe it was because Sam is the funniest person I know. Maybe it's because she liked to laugh, especially at me, so with me was a much needed improvement. At my jokes was even better. And maybe just maybe it wasn't that I wanted to make just any girl laugh, maybe it was just one girl who mattered, just one fiery, blonde girl that mattered.

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><p><strong>AN: Yay, Freddie POV, we actually haven't had one in awhile. Oh, BTW, I'm not getting a new laptop for at least another week but that's okay because I have bought a charger for my very old (seriously, it doesn't even play DVDs) laptop, so at least I have access to that now! R&amp;R!<strong>


	54. Journal

**AN: I'm going back to school in a week, so I'm trying to update as much as possible before updating will slow greatly. I'm excited to go back to school though.**

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><p><strong>Journal<strong>

**Sam's POV**

_First, let me just tell you that this whole assignment is stupid. What? You don't like what I'm saying? Well, too bad. You, the teacher told us we could write whatever we wanted in these stupid journals, so I'm going to write whatever the hell I feel like. It's bad enough we have to make at least one entry a week for the entire month of October, and if it wasn't such a big part of my final grade and I didn't want to graduate then I wouldn't do it. But I do need to get an okay grade so I can pass this class, and maybe with some luck (or threatening) I'll graduate instead of having to come back to this hellhole next year._

I closed the note book with a sigh and started to doodle absentmindedly on the cover, while gazing at the clock willing time to go faster. The teacher had said that it had to be at least 100 words, but that was the only guidelines we were given. So, I had scribbled down 100 or so words, I hadn't actually counted them, and left it at that. Unfortunately now there was still about 15 minutes left before lunch. I shrugged and figured I could make up something about another entry and then just date it ahead.

_I'm going to write about iCarly. At least it's fun. Way more fun than writing about it is. I'm the co-host of iCarly. But you probably already know that. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past four years, you've at least heard of it. Seriously, it's gotten so popular that we're recognized on the streets almost every day now. There are three other people involved on the show on a regular basis. There's my best friend Carly – see, Freddie named the show after her, and we all thought it was catchy, I like being the sidekick, believe it or not, that's an okay spot for me, I don't want the entire spotlight, just a little piece of it. Freddie's the tech producer and as much as it pains me to admit it, he's the best at what he does – he's also my friend, my enemy, and my boyfriend all wrapped up into one. It's crazy, that I thought I hated him, and yet I still like him, so crazy I once checked myself into a mental hospital. Then there's Brad, our intern, he makes awesome fudge. Oh, and Gibby does weird things on almost every episode… but I don't really consider Gibby a person. Who does?_

The bell rings just as I close the notebook again, and I hastily stuff it into my bag and go to satisfy my hunger or at least to try and satisfy my hunger.

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><p>I don't think about the book again until hanging out after dinner at Carly's one night. She mentions how she can't believe how fast this month has been flying past and that it will be the 30th the next day. I leap up and run over to my backpack digging deep into it to find the stupid notebook.<p>

"What's up Sam?" Carly asks as I place a foot long ham sandwich beside my bag and continue my search.

"Project due tomorrow, stupid journal thing, can't find it, AHA!" I finally pull out the book and a pen, before moving back to the couch, but I also grab the foot long.

"Never thought I'd see the day where Sam Puckett was worried about handing something in late," Freddie teases gently.

I stick my tongue out at him and say, "You're the one who wanted me to be in the same graduating class as you,"

I open the notebook and place my pen over it before realizing I have no idea what to write about. I whine that to Carly and Freddie and Freddie laughs saying, "Write whatever you want to," which is pretty useless consider I don't know what I want to write.

Carly has a better idea at least, "Why don't you write about iCarly?"

Too bad I've already thought of it, "Great minds think alike Carls, but I already did,"

"Lots of people write about their families," Freddie says hesitantly.

"I need 2 more entries and I'll save that for becoming desperate, any other ideas?" If only I didn't need this grade. I'm becoming increasingly frustrated and Freddie gently lays his hand on top of my free one.

"You're assignment should be honest, maybe write about a time you were really upset, or angry, or happy, just anything that has meant a lot to you," Carly suggests.

"Hmm, faking three dates but an honest entry…" I mutter but start to write anyway.

_Carly just said I should write about something that has meaning. Something that has emotion, so maybe I'll write about one of the worst times of my life. It was a few years ago now and it seems so stupid when I think back on it, but it was awful then. Carly and I were fighting. Of course all friends fight, Freddie and I have a fight at least once a day, and Carly and I've had a few fights ourselves, but nothing like this one. We both said awful stuff we didn't mean and we swore we would never be friends again. I feel a little bad now because Freddie hates when we fight, and I've always thought he would've stuck with Carly not matter what, but even back then, he refused to choose between us. Anyway, Carly and I were fighting we weren't friends anymore. And life at home wasn't great either. I clung to the one person who had started the fighting in the first place, a pair of friends name Fleck and Dave, I hung out with Fleck and Carly hung out with Dave. They don't really matter too much, what does matter is that Carly and I both nearly died that night. Thanks to Carly's big brother's quick thinking and whole lot of luck we were both okay. But I'll never forget the moment when I thought Carly was going to fall to her death. And I'll never forget that it was partially (mostly) my fault._

I don't realize that I'm shaking until my pen makes a squiggly line off the edge of the notebook. "Sam, are you okay?" Freddie asks.

"It's Carly's fault," I mutter, shoving the notebook away, "She's the one who suggested writing about something that made me upset."

"Can I see it?" Carly asks reaching toward the notebook.

"No!" I shout, ripping it out of her reach just before her hand closed around it.

"Sam!" Freddie scolds me, "Why won't you let Carly see it?"

I have two reasons I don't want Carly to see it, she'll probably cry, and then she'll tell me it wasn't my fault. Carly crying is the worst thing ever and I hate to see it, and I don't want to be the one to make her cry and it was my fault, nothing will ever change my mind about that, "My teacher wants to be the first to read them," I say thinking quickly .

"Oh, okay, I guess I can look at them after, if it's alright with you," Carly says, with a smile.

I nod, thinking that I'll have destroyed the notebook once I glance to see if I received a passing grade. "I still need one more entry…"

"Write about something happy this time," is what Freddie recommends and I roll my eyes at him.

"I think I will actually take your earlier suggestion and write about my family." I shrug, and both Freddie and Carly's mouth drop open. They know that my family is not really a happy topic for me; in fact, I rarely talk about it, except to complain about my mom. Still, I start to scribble again.

_My family, my immediate family, consists of me, my mother and my twin sister Melanie. Don't ask me about my Dad, I don't know where he is. I like to pretend I don't care where he is. Melanie is my complete opposite, straight As, perfect attendance, neat hair, polite, and dull as a board, but I still love her. In that way you have to love your family I suppose. She goes to a boarding school far away from here. I don't really see her that much. My mom is real piece of work, but I love her. And since therapy starts I know she loves me too, she had to raise two kids all by herself. She's done a great job with Melanie and maybe not such a bad job with me either. But that's just my blood-related family.  
><em>

_My family also consists of Carly and Spencer. Carly's more than my best friend, she's practically my sister. She lets me borrow her clothes and is always there for me, no matter what. I love her a lot and I know she loves me too even though, even though I'm not very lovable. Spencer is Carly's big brother is fed and housed me almost more than my own mother. He's always there for us no matter what. He's goofy and silly, acts like a kid most of the time, and sets things on fire. But he is responsible, he's raised Carly and hell, he's pretty much raised me, all by himself, and we're not even his kids. I know he cares about me and I'd do pretty much anything he'd ask me to do for him. But Spencer's never asked me to do more than pose for a sculpture for him, and he never will because he's way too nice. Then there's Freddie, and I know we're not supposed to be in love or be together forever because we're so young, we're in high school, and we shouldn't even work out in the first place. But the thing is, Freddie's also my best friend, he and Carly know me better than I know myself. And we'll always be friends, even if we fall out of love. But I don't think I will, and I hope he doesn't. I can hardly believe we survived dating each other for a week, let alone how long we've actually been together. So, yeah, my mom and my sister are my family and I love them, but Carly, Freddie and Spencer are my family too, I got to choose them, and they chose me as well, and in that way, I love them all the more. This is four times longer than what we were supposed to write, I should get 4 bonus marks._

I finish writing then, and close the book for the final time but this time a smile is on my face and Freddie looks surprised. I toss the book to Carly and say, "You should read it, especially the last entry,"

"But I thought you said your teacher…" Carly begins.

"Yeah, but since when I have followed the rules?" I shrug and lean back against Freddie who's now grinning at me, "You should probably let Freddork read it too, and I think he'll be impressed."

Carly's already engrossed in my first entry, her finger pointed under the line she's reading moving across the page. Freddie laughs, "I'm already impressed that you finished an assignment on time."

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><p><strong>AN: R&amp;R!<strong>


	55. Jealousy

**AN: Hope you guys all like this chapter:)**

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><p><strong>Jealousy<strong>

**Sam's POV**

Carly tugging on my arm is the only thing that makes me turn the back on the people who are shouting names at me, and threatening to fight me. Yeah, because they stood a chance against me. Still, it's Carly's persistent tugging that is the only thing stopping me from barreling into the group of students, mostly girls, and ripping their heads off.

"Come on Sam," Carly pulls a little harder nd I finally start to move forward, "Don't listen to them, you know none of what they're saying is true."

"I know it's not true," I say angrily, "But why are they saying it?"

I allow Carly to keep her grip (if it can even be called a grip) on my arm and lead me out of the school and onto the sidewalk that will lead us towards the Groovy Smoothie. "You really don't know why they say that stuff?"I shake my head, I have no idea. "It's because they're jealous of you," Carly says.

I don't understand that. It's not that I don't understand jealousy. No, that I understand far too well.

I hate to admit to it, but it's true. I'm jealous of Carly. Jealous of sweet, pretty, picture-perfect Carly. Most of the time Carly's way too good of a friend for me to even focus on these thoughts that flip by in a second. Carly's nearly perfect and I'm about as far from perfect as you can get.

I know other forms of jealousy too. Jealous of Carly and Spencer's relationship. The 14 year age gap makes very little difference to them. Carly has a sibling who cares ten times more about her than he does about himself. Spencer goes out of his way to makes sure Carly has everything, whereas my twin (just over two minutes apart) followed in my Dad's footsteps, abadonning me and our mother.

Sometimes, I'm even jealous of Freddie. Rarely, because he's such a dweeb most of the time. But jealous of the thing that is probably his biggest pet peeve. I might call her Crazy, and I believe she is, but at least it's obvious that Mrs. Benson cares about her son. Maybe a little too much.

By this time we've completed our walk and Carly is opening the door to our favorite hangout. "I still don't get it," I say after we've ordered and sat down at our favorite triangular table.

"Sam, they're jealous of you because you're dating Freddie," Carly sighs, sounding exasperated, although I can't imagine why.

"Why would they be jealous of that?" I wonder aloud, though inside I am starting to see what Carly's talking about.

"Well, you might not have realized it, but Freddie's pretty much the best boyfriend ever," Carly explains, "He puts up with all your name-calling and teasing, he brings you gifts you actually like, he buys everything for you, and it doesn't hurt that he's grown about a foot, and been secretly working out to win that stupid yearbook category,"

"So, they think Freddie's a catch?" I ask.

"Isn't he?" Carly retorts with a sly grin.

"Of course he is," I answer with a grin of my own, "But don't tell him that,"

"Don't tell who what?" Freddie asks as he approaches our table. My back had been facing the door so I hadn't seen him enter.

"Don't tell Spencer that the TV remote is broken, he'll try to fix it and just end up setting it on fire," I lied smoothly.

"Ah, good plan," Freddie grins, sitting down beside me, and reaching into his backpack for something.

"Yeah, I'll just buy one of those universal remotes," Carly says, "Do you know where I can get one Freddie?"

"Don't worry about it Carly, I'll get one for you, no problem," Freddie reassures her, and places something wrapped in front of me.

I poke at it cautiously, "What is it?"

Freddie laughs, "Food,"

That's all I really needed to hear, so I rip into the package with surprising carefuless, to reveal a delicious smelling sandwhich. I lift the sandwhich taking a bite and enjoying the mixture of white bread, bacon, ham, and something which I can't name but makes it's already good taste much better.

"This is fantastic, Freddifer," I say through another large bite, "Where'd you get it?"

Freddie shields his face with a napkin before answering, "Shop I passed on my way to the PearStore, glad you like it,"

"You know what?" I say after a large swallow, "The girls at school have every right to be jealous,"

Carly bursts out laughing as Freddie asksm "What girls? And why are they jealous?"

I crumple up the wrappings that the sandwhich had come in, and root through Carly's purse for a piece of gum, which I pop into my mouth, "The girls at school are jealous because you are officially the best boyfriend ever," I lean over and kiss Freddie quickly, and when I pull away he's smiling from ear to ear.

"Well, I try," he says with a little bit of a smirk that makes me want to hit him.

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><p><strong>AN: Please note that Sam's thoughts are hers and not mine, I happen to think Sam is way more awesome than Carly. And awwww, Freddie is the best. R&amp;R!<strong>


	56. January

**AN: I love dealing with future chapters. Readers really seem to love them too, I almost didn't want to post this because I have 555 reviews, and that is so cool! Thanks everyone!**

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><p><strong>January<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

December 31st, 11:57 pm, it was about to be a New Year. New Year means new beginnings, but I'm not really sure I want anything to change. I like the way things are now. I have fantastic friends, most of whom I've known since middle school. My mom's finally calmed down a little, she only calls three times a day now instead of six, and I am married to the most beautiful and feisty girl in the world, my high school sweetheart, Sam Puckett.

Like my thoughts had summoned her, Sam appeared by my side with a smile on her face and leg of fried chicken in her hand. "Hey, Fredward, making some New Year's Resolutions?"

"Why would I need to make any resolutions? Everything in my life is perfect, I don't want anything to change," I inform Sam, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Ah, but things will change whether you want them to or not," Sam replies, still grinning, as the people around us all begin counting down to the New Year.

I join them, "In 5, 4, 3, 2-"

Before I can say the one Sam shouts to me, "I'm pregnant!"

My mouth drops open as around us people scream, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" and couples kiss. Somewhere in the background, Auld Lang Syne begins to play over crackly speakers. I'm too stunned to speak and before I even realize it, my legs have given out and I'm sitting on my backside on the floor.

Sam kneels down next to me, eyeing me with amusement, tinged with slight concern, "Hmmm, Carly and Spencer owe me ten bucks," she mutters, "Spencer thought you would pass out complete, Carly said you would be fine, and I said you'd collapse,"

"You're p-p-pregnant?" I stutter, "Who? When? Where? How?" I ask these questions all rapid fire, still trying to absorb the information.

Sam laughs, "Well, you plus, me, and baby will make three, I'm about to enter my second month of pregnancy, according to the doctor, which would make the where… you know what I'm not really sure where, could be anywhere, and as for how, I think you know that,"

The shock is wearing off and my happiness is sinking in, 'Oh my gosh, you're pregnant!" I shout this time, "We're going to be parents," I leap to my feet, and reach down to pull Sam up with me, wrapping her in a hug, followed by a deep kiss, "I love you," I finally say when we break apart breathless.

Sam's smile grows, "You're so excited,"

"Of course I'm excited," I say, barely containing my wanting to leap for joy, by bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet. "Aren't you?"

Sam shrugs, before admitting, "A little," and then mumbling, "Mostly I'm scared,"

My heart skips a beat, as I look at my wife, whose smile is fading slightly, as she hangs her head, letting golden curls cover her face, "Oh," I say, reaching out to grab her hand and frowning as she pulls it away, bringing it to meet her other hand and wring them together nervously, "You have every right to be scared, but we're going to be awesome parents, okay?" Silently, I'm willing her to understand what's between the lines, that just because our parents weren't the best, doesn't mean we won't be, "You're already so awesome, how can this be any different?"

She lifts her head at this, the smile beginning to reform and announces, "You're such a dork, Freddie,"

I spot Spencer waltzing his little sister and our best friend, over to us. Carly giggles and she spins under her older brother's arm, once, twice, and then a third time, before calling out, "Who won the bet?"

"I did," Sam said, straightening up proudly.

Spencer groans digging in his pocket for change, as Carly fishes a ten dollar bill out of her sparkly pink purse, "Have you told him about the ultrasound yet?"

"Oh yeah!" Sam says, as if she's just remembered, "Doctor's appointment, next Wednesday, we're going for our first ultrasound."

"I'll make sure I don't have to work that day," I say, automatically pulling out my PearPhone to check my schedule.

"I was reading online that you should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat," Spencer says, "That must be so cool!"

Carly wraps an arm around Sam, and giggles, "Can I come too? Or is that appointment just for you and Freddie?"

Sam laughs, "Oh Carls, you better come,"

"Hmmm, so Freddie, are you ready for all the non-stop eating?" Spencer asks.

"Sam already eats non-stop," I reply.

"The moodswings, and tendency to be violent?" Spencer continues.

"Because Sam's not violent all the time," I roll my eyes, and Sam jabs me with her free hand, "See?"

"What about the tears?" Spencer says with a knowing grin.

"There won't be any tears," Sam says stubbornly.

"Oh yes there will," Spencer says almost wistfully, "I remember when Mom was pregnant with Carly, and I was helping her make dinner," Spencer pauses in his story to take a deep breath and all of us become a little uncomfortable, because of the rarely mentioned mother of both Carly and Spencer, "I asked her where the buns for the hamburgers were and then she said 'I don't know' and just burst into tears, I was so confused at the time,"

We laugh as Spencer finishes the story, and then whisks Carly back onto the dance floor for a live display of the firecracker.

I glance again at my phone, which clearly displays the date and time.

January 1st, 12:10 am, the first day of a New Year, that's sure to be filled with new things, "Here I was, thirteen minutes ago thinking I didn't want anything to change,"

"And I was assuring you that there will always be changes," Sam adds.

"Now, I can't wait for all the new changes that are going to happen this year," I say my voice bubbling with excitement.

"Happy New Year, Freddie," Sam says.

"Happy New Year indeed," I sigh happily, before pulling Sam into my arms and out onto the dance floor, despite her half-hearted protests.

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><p><strong>AN: Weird to right about New Years in September, but hey that's how things go. Auld Lang Syne is that song they always play on New Years, in case anyone was wondering, the one that goes, "Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne ?" I'm sure everyone has heard it. I actually really love the song. And also, my favourite part of this story had absolutely nothing to do with Sam or Freddie, which is unusual R&amp;R!<strong>


	57. Influence

**AN: I HAVE INTERNET! :) All moved in to my new apartment and feeling quite grown up! :) Could've sworn i put this chapter up already! My BAD!**

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><p><strong>Influence<strong>

_That Samantha Puckett is a bad influence!_

Those words have been used for the 14 years that Sam could walk and talk and cause chaos no matter where she went. Even if they haven't always been said aloud, they have been considered in the quiet corners of the brains of every human who has ever met the blonde-headed demon, as some call her both affectionately and honestly.

Pam Puckett heard these words long before anyone else, from the school teacher after Sam has acted out and other had followed her lead (even as a young child she had never been a follower). She was an active child, too bored by the classroom and too intrigued by the outside world to ever be a good student. Still, though Pam hates the phone calls and the parent-teacher interview requests that eventual stop showing up (not because Sam stopped receiving them, simply that she didn't bother to pass the message along any longer) she doesn't think her daughter is that bad of an influence. Sure, she's made a couple of mistakes, big mistakes, but who hasn't? Pam knows she's made plenty of her own.

Spencer Shay has thought those words a million time, though he's never voiced them. Mostly because Sam was pulling Carly out of her comfort zone, destroying the shell Carly had placed around herself, and letting his little sister be a free-spirited young girl. He loved Sam, and there was not denying that, loved her as much as he loved Carly. She may have been called a bad influence but in Spencer's eyes Sam's loyalty, and outgoing attitude made her a good influence on the used-to-be-withdrawn Carly.

Even Carly Shay herself had had that same notion that spins around inside everyone else's brain. She shouldn't be out doing this prank with Sam. She shouldn't take the blame for a picture that wasn't her creation – a Photodock'd rhino with Ms. Briggs head. Can't blame a girl for worrying about her future, now can you? Still, Carly sees more good than anyone else in Sam's life does. She sees the girl who can make anyone smile just by cracking a joke. Sees how smart and beautiful Sam is and reminds Sam of it, when she forgets. Carly might think Sam was a bad influence sometimes, but most of the time she was just her best friend filled with fun ideas.

Mrs. Benson is the first to think those words, the first to voice them aloud in any given situation at all. "I don't want Freddie hanging out with that girl, she's a bad influence," "I don't want Freddie to hurt, and everyone knows that Samantha Puckett is a bad influence," "Samantha Puckett is a bad influence and I refuse to let you spend time with her," just to name a few ways. Still that had never deterred her son. It hadn't stopped him from becoming friends (eventually) with her, hadn't stopped him from dating her, or falling in love with her, or even from marrying her. It wasn't for lack of trying, but if Freddie was that determined to keep Sam in his life, then Mrs. Benson has to admit she can't be all bad.

Freddie Benson finds himself thinking these words over and over as he finds himself becoming more daring with each and every day. He repeats the words so often that they become his mantra, with just the knowledge that he knows Sam is crazy and a bad influence. She must be or he wouldn't be tattooing her face to his arm. Or setting up webcam's in Lewbert's office, while she keeps watch outside. Wouldn't be agreeing to go bungee jumping off the highest cliff she can find within driving distance. Wouldn't let her drive his car, while he grasps onto the leather seat and says his thanks that seatbelts were invented. He thinks it's her bad influence that has caused her to become the courageous guy he is today.

Ironically, his first really brave act was shoving Carly out of the way so he could take the taco truck instead of her, because in his heart he knew that if Sam had been in his place she would have done the same thing, only her smaller frame probably would not have been able to handle the mass of the reasonably small truck (but still a truck), he watched her save Carly's life a second time, as she struggles down the half-collapsed window-washing platform, and knows that even if he was in her place, he wouldn't have been able to save Carly that second time. So even as he falls in love with the blonde, instead of the brunette he had always believed himself to be in love with, he continues to think that she's a bad influence, because that way he has an excuse for doing all of the things he's always wanted to try but has been to afraid to in the past. He uses those words in his head, like a message to push himself harder, to be braver, and to be a better person, and he knows even if he puts in 150% effort for every day in the rest of his life, he will never be as good a person as Sam Puckett, even if she has all sorts of wild ideas, and can be called a bad influence.

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><p><strong>AN: Woo, I feel like this is mostly about Sam, although the Seddie is quite clear. So I have internet, so as long as school doesn't take up too much time, I should still be able to update fairly regularly. Has everyone seen those new previews for iDate Sam and Freddie? Why is Gibby holding a small dog? That's all I want to know. R&amp;R!<strong>


	58. Impression

**AN: Aaaah, it's nice to be in Freddie's brain again. I'm looking forward to this Saturday, but I must get through my first week of school first (it's not actually that bad, I only have one class on Thursday, and one on Friday, so tomorrow's really my longest day this week).**

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><p><strong>Impression<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

There are a couple of different definitions for impression. There's the one that everyone will probably think of: the first and immediate effect of an experience or perception upon the mind; sensation. You're _first _impression of the people in your life. People always say that the first impression you make is the one that people will remember you by, but I'm not so sure that I believe that's true.

After all my first impression of my now-girlfriend is not a good one at all. It was way back in sixth grade when we met.

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><p><em>It had been raining, but not hard enough for the teachers to call for an indoor recess. Just little spattering showers that lasted for two minutes, and then stopped, as the sun tried desperately to come out, only for the mini –storms to start again. It was my first week in this new school, my third day, yet I still hadn't made any friends. I ate my lunch alone, and during recess I wondered the playground almost aimlessly, making sure to avoid any of the rough-housing games that the other boys were playing. <em>

_Finally my eyes landed on a small girl with dark hair, and big brown eyes, she was searching from one end of the playground to the other, with her hand above her eyes in almost a salute, "Hello" she said when I finally approached her, "Are you new here?"_

"_Yes, my name's Freddie," I replied, glad that she was so nice, and she was so pretty too, I noticed now that I was close to her, I had this immediate feeling that I needed to help her, "Are you looking for something?"_

_She shook her head, "Not something, someone, my friend, Sam." She continues to gaze around the surrounding areas before adding, "Oh, and I'm Carly,"_

_I joined her in her search then, looking out for a boy, when suddenly a heedful of blonde curls was rushing toward me and my new friend, "Oh no, Carly look out," I warned._

_But Carly squealed in delight, "Sam!" the blonde girl stopped about an inch or two from barreling straight into Carly, "Did you get it back?"_

_Sam nodded, and handed Carly a sparkly pink notebook, "I can't believe the teacher took that away for you just for writing notes, I thought we were supposed to write notes in class,"_

"_Not too each other," Carly giggled, "Oh, Sam, this is Freddie, Freddie, Sam,"_

_Sam looked me up and down and then announced, "He's a nerd," _

_I was immediately offended, and declared a, "Hey!"_

"_Sam don't be mean," Carly scolded, "All three of us should be friends!"_

_I smiled at Carly then, glad she wanted to be my friend, the moment was ruined when Sam declared, "I don't want to be his friend!"_

"_Well, I don't want to be your friend either!" I had said angrily, but meaning it at the time, "You're just a bully!"_

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><p>There's another definition of impression a mark, indentation, figure etc. produced by pressure.<p>

You know when you've just been hanging out all day on the couch then when you finally stand up, the shape of your butt is imprinted on the cushion, that's an impression. Of course, that's usually the not the definition people think of when you say the word impression, still, it's there, it's true, and even for this definition I have a memory of Sam.

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><p><em>The snow was falling. A rarity in Seattle, where we have mostly rainy days, or just clear cold days, but on that day the snow was falling and had been falling for a few hours, and it seemed to be sticking, there was already a light dusting of white flakes covering the grassy area that surrounded our school.<em>

_The end of the day bell had rung, and Carly and I were searching the snow-covered grounds for our blonde headed friend. Carly was stomping her feet and blowing into her gloved and cupped hands in order to stay warm, but I had my eyes peeled for blonde – because I knew she wouldn't have been wearing a hat or hood, not even in that weather._

_Finally, Carly let out a muffled scream, (it's muffled because she has a scarf wrapped tightly around her face and neck) and pointed her glove-covered finger at a person not too far away. I squinted wondering how she knew it was Sam, and then shrugged, and we both trudged over towards the person._

_Once we got a little bit closer, it was clear it was Sam. She was lying flat on her back, curls spilling into the snow and across her face, and she was moving her legs and arms out in such a steady rhythm that I could almost hear the music that accompanied the beat her limbs were creating. Her eyes were closed and a smile was on her face, but she still greeted us with a, "Hey Carls, Nub,"_

"_How'd you know it was us?" I asked._

"_Carls breathing through her scarf, it's all distorted sounding," Sam replied, "Then I heard two sets of footsteps, so I figured it was you," Sam carefully rocked up then, all the way to her feet and took a step back to admire her creation._

_The impression in the snow looks as though it has wings and is wearing a skirt, a snow angel. Sam glanced at it, decided it was missing something then walked to wear the head was and with her running shoe toe drew a circle above the head, representing a halo._

"_So ironic that you of all people would make a snow __**angel,"**__ I quipped._

_Sam stuck her tongue out at me, as she shook melted snow off her hair._

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><p>It's funny that even years later, I can recall these meetings with Sam, simply because she left an impression with me, on my mind and in my heart. Just like that snow angel, my heart has a special place just for her.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed this! I'll try to update soon! I recommend everyone watch the promos before Saturday. I love the way Spencer says "Ew," R&amp;R!<strong>


	59. Hug

**AN: My first day of school went very well. I'm an English Literature major and both my English profs this year seem awesome and funny. Even my math class wasn't so bad... this chapter... well... it's in a different style and I'm not sure how I feel about it... **

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><p><strong>Hug<strong>

Sam will never admit it but she loves hugs. She loves that they allow everyone involved to show that they care without actually saying anything aloud.

**Words were never Sam's strong point anyway.**

Raw emotion and passion could be put into a hug, where you placed your arms, how tightly you squeezed, how long the hug lasted, each of these factored into what you couldn't find the words to say and school couldn't teach you that.

**School was never Sam's strong point either.**

She's hugged her mother, Spencer, Carly, Gibby and Freddie all at different times and for a bunch of different reasons. She's also enjoyed a fair amount of group hugs, which are often interspersed with high-fives. Limbs tangled and laughter echoing, support and love surrounding her, it doesn't happen often enough.

**Pretending not to care is her strong point.**

Sam's hugged Carly countless times but there are times that stick out in her mind. One night in particular when she forgot she was strong and cried with Carly as they gripped each other in a vice-like grasp tears streaming and sobs pouring out of both them.

**It isn't always easy.**

She remembers the first time she hugged Freddie though. Valerie had been using him, she had been right, but now, looking back on it, Sam supposed Freddie way right too. She didn't treat him well, but it was habit by then and sometimes he deserved the snarky remarks and punches to his shoulders. Still, he did his job well and he was important to the show, so she said it and when he offered his arms in a hug she accepted (he was so much shorter back then) the opportunity to prank him.

**Sometimes it is easy though.**

So when her and Freddie start to date it's the hugs that Sam's finds herself enjoying more than the kisses – although she does enjoy the kisses a lot as well. There's just something about the way that Freddie's lingering hugs always seem to make her feel safe, warm and loved.

**She's doesn't have to pretend with him.**

Sam loves the way her head fits snugly on his chest, and he rests his chin on her head, loves the way that his arms always wrap around her waist and pull her in closer, pull her in tighter, as if he's trying to protect her

**He's the one who needs protecting.**

She loves that she can rest her hands on his shoulders or reach up and wrap her arms around his neck and inhale his scent, and she makes the space between them disappear.

**She'll grudgingly admit that it's nice to feel safe sometimes.**

Sam hates the cliché but she'll agree that her and Freddie fit together so well it's almost as though their interlocking puzzle pieces. It's strange because there so different that they might as well be two different species but they're not and they love each other and she knows she doesn't have to say the words to show or feel them and Freddie gets it, he understands her.

**Words aren't the most important thing the world.**

**Love is.**

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed it :). I only have one class tomorrow then my first week of school is over.<strong>


	60. Hospital

**AN: Writing this from a school computer, that's how much I love you guys. Thanks for the 616 reviews, every single one of you is amazing and I love you all for taking the time to drop me a review. It's not really mentioned but Sam and Freddie are married in this.**

**PS: This chapter is sad.**

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><p><strong>Hospital<br>Sam's POV**

I was there when Freddie received the worst news of his life. I was sitting right beside him, hoping, and wishing and maybe even praying that he would be alright, but once that doctor walked through the door with a slow pace and stern expression I knew it wasn't going to be good news.

"I'm sorry to tell you this Mr. Benson but it seems that you have…" I stopped listening then, squeezing my eyes shut tight and trying to block out the word that I had sensed was coming.

The single word that no one in a doctor's office ever wants to hear, even the doctor themselves, unfortunately squeezing my eyes shut doesn't actually make the world disappear and the word, "cancer" seems to echo with each beat of my heart.

The doctor is informing Freddie of his options but I know he won't take any of them, he'll say that it his time and that it was bound to happen sooner or later. I close my eyes and squeeze his hand and fight back the tears because I don't cry. Puckett's don't cry.

I realize that this isn't exactly true; I mean Freddie's seen me cry multiple times after so many years. He's seen me cry about life-threatening situation, he's seen me cry from the mood swings that come with being pregnant, he saw me cry when my mother died, when his mother died. I shed a few tears when our first grandchild was born and sobbed when, just a few years ago Spencer passed away.

But right now, I need to embrace that old family trait, need to be strong and hold it together, because even as Freddie speaks to the doctor I hear the shake in his voice and feel the tension in his muscles as his hand tightens around mine.

Freddie stands and shakes hands with doctor as the doctor apologizes again for the awful news. I stand after him, slower than ever before, the years seem to have caught up with me in the hour we've been in the doctor's office.

We're outside and making our way slowly back to our home when Freddie runs a hand through his brown-turned-gray-turned-white hair and sighs, looking older than he ever has before, "I'm sorry Sam," he sighs with a slight catch in his voice, and that is when tears start to pour down his face.

And that's when I spin around and face him and reach up to brush the tears off his face like he has done for me. "Why are you sorry?"

We have stopped walking, and thankfully the sidewalk is deserted because we are right in the middle of it taking up far too much space.

Freddie pushes up his glasses (far too many hours in front of a computer screen) and says, "Because I won't be there every day for the rest of your life."

The weeks and the months passed quickly no matter how much we tried to slow them down. Freddie opted out of the chemotherapy because as he said, "It's already pretty advanced, it might not work, and I've had a long and happy life already, it's my time,"

* * *

><p>This week Freddie's been in the hospital, and no one's wanted to admit it, but we know that he won't be exiting the hospital this time. Carly's been here with us nearly 247 as well. Right now, the three of us are squished in the small bed (but Freddie's become so thin lately it's barely a squish at all) with Freddie in the middle and me curled up leaning gently against him on one side, and Carly gripping his hands as tears drip silently down her face.

"Do you remember that time…" Carly pauses to sniffle then continues, "That a teacher tried to make Sam throw out her bacon?"

Freddie laughs shaking his head slightly, "Yeah, he ended up in the hospital didn't he?"

Carly and Freddie have been exchanging these happy memories for hours and while I've enjoyed listening and reliving all the good times we've had together I can't forget the seriousness of this situation and something just isn't sitting well with me.

"What about the time you got knocked out because you were defending that poor freshman?" Carly laughs lightly.

"I try not to remember that moment," Freddie says with a small grin.

"Sam beat the football player that knocked your lights out into next week," Carly says quietly.

Suddenly with that story I realize what's wrong with this whole situation. I stand suddenly intending to leave the room and shout about my feelings but Freddie calls to me before I have a chance to leave, "Sam…what's wrong?"

I take a deep breath intending to tell him that I just need some fresh air but instead everything that I've been thinking and feeling tumbles out of my mouth, "It's not fair! This isn't fair! Why you? Why the defender of freshman, gentlemen, nice to everyone, and all around good guy? Why can't it be me? It should be me, hell, I should've gone years ago with all the risks I've taken in my life. And I'm not nice, I'm mean, I picked on the freshman, I have never done anything nice for anyone, I've been a terrible to almost everyone one I know. It should be me, it should be me, it should be me!" My tears start and then they won't stop.

I've been strong for Freddie this whole time, but we've spent the majority of our lives together and I can't imagine spending any time without him, but I know it's coming soon. Finally I collapse next to him again, burying my face in the wispy hospital gown they make him wear and saying, "I don't want you to go,"

"I don't want to go either," Freddie says, lips brushing softly against my hair, "but it's not really my choice, is it?" Freddie wraps the arm that's not around my waist around Carly's shoulder and speaks softly, "I love you both so much," Carly and I both start to speak at the same time and Freddie hushes us. "Listen we've had wonderful many years together, I got to grow up with my two best friends and even marry one of them. I never would've been able to do all that I have without you two. Carly, you're my best friend but you're more than that, you're family, and I love you and I still want to protect you, I'd still take a taco truck for you. Sam, I love you more than you could ever know, I got to marry my best friend and have a wonderful family with her and keep her as my best friend and as my wife. I want you to be strong about this because quite frankly you've always been the stronger one, you'll be okay without me, but I would never be okay without you. Carly, I know you believe in Heaven and Sam, I know you don't, but I want you both to know that wherever I end up after this, I'll be looking out for both of you and our families."

"I love you too Freddie," Carly whispers, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

I stay quiet and Freddie seems to get that I don't want to talk anymore and he doesn't push it.

* * *

><p>It's late that night and Carly's gone home but I've stayed curled up next to Freddie who has been sleeping for hours straight. I've been taking turns at staring at the wall and staring at the ceiling. I've been lost in thought and reliving memories of the past 70 plus years with Freddie in my life. Freddie stirs and spots me, "Sam, it's time for you to go now," it isn't a suggestion, it's an order.<p>

For the only time in my life, I obey a direct order from Freddie, I don't want to be here the moment his heart stops beating because nothing will be able to stop mine from breaking. So I get off the bed, lean down over him and kiss him for a long time, for the last time I know. When I pull away, I say, "I love you Fredward," quietly.

"I love you too Princess," Freddie uses the nickname and I already feel a piece of my heart shatter as I realize I won't be called princess ever again.

I squeeze Freddie's hand, and kiss his forehead, when I'm at the door I turn around and say, "Good night Freddie,"

The simple sentence he changed only slightly puts so much more impact into his words, "Goodbye Sam,"

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><p><strong>AN: You review 600 times and I kill Freddie. Isn't that awful? This was actually more about the years they did spend together. Freddie did have a long and happy life and I hope you notice all the details. I hope no one hates me too much for killing Freddie. R&amp;R!<strong>


	61. Hate

**AN: **For the 60th chapter I have done something special! It's a songfic! *gasp* By the only Rihanna song I actually enjoy. I think it's fitting. I have my laptop back by the way, so look forward to updates: D

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><p><strong>Hate<strong>

Sam Puckett throws her hands into the air in frustration. She curses Freddie for his complete stupidity, even though she doesn't really remember what they're fighting about. She can't take this, she can't take him, and then all of a sudden, she looks at him. He looks scared and confused and apologetic, and the expression on his face is just too much for her, she forgets all her annoyance and anger and smiles, and then curses Freddie for making her smile without even uttering a word. Why does she have to feel this way?

_That's how much I love you  
>That's how much I need you<br>And I can't stand you  
>Must everything you do make me wanna smile<br>Can I not like you for awhile? (No...)_

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><p>Freddie knew that he had been mad about something. He had a good reason too, but then Sam's lips were on his and he was kissing her back, and all the bad feelings he felt for his girlfriend just washed away and were completely replaced by only good thoughts and feelings. Now, why was he mad again? Did it really matter? If he couldn't remember, it probably wasn't that big of a deal.<p>

_But you won't let me_  
><em>You upset me girl<em>  
><em>And then you kiss my lips<em>  
><em>All of a sudden I forget (that I was upset)<em>  
><em>Can't remember what you did<em>

* * *

><p>Sam remembers her short visit to the mental hospital. She remembers that she didn't want Freddie near her, didn't want him to touch her, yelled at him, tried to ignore him, but still he convinced her to try and leave. It's wrong, she thinks, a person shouldn't be able to love someone they hate (and she's sure she feels both those things), she even told him.<p>

_But I hate it...  
>You know exactly what to do<br>So that I can't stay mad at you  
>For too long that's wrong<em>

* * *

><p>Sam and Freddie were arguing again. Carly sighed hopelessly in the background, and voices were raised and things that should never be said were tossed in the air. Then, Sam gently grabs Freddie's wrist and shakes her head and Freddie lets out a sigh of her own, "Let's just agree to disagree?" he seems relieved, like a weight has disappeared from his shoulder, and relaxed, no tension from the previous fight visible at all, "I hate you and I love you, you know that right?" he tells Sam.<p>

_But I hate it...  
>You know exactly how to touch<br>So that I don't want to fuss... and fight no more  
>Said I despise that I adore you<em>

* * *

><p>Sam knows that she loves Freddie; it's hard for her to admit. It takes a nudge or two sometimes, but she loves him, and she knows that he's always there for her, and she thinks that's what might scare her more. In her entire life, no one has always been there for her (Carly's come close though), and she doesn't, shouldn't need anyone. Sam can take care of herself – so why is it every time some little thing pisses her off she's dialing Freddie's number? Why did she have to fall in love with him?<p>

_And I hate how much I love you boy (yeah...)  
>I can't stand how much I need you (I need you...)<br>And I hate how much I love you boy (oh whoa..)  
>But I just can't let you go<br>And I hate that I love you so (oh...)_

* * *

><p>Freddie is upset; his mother won't let him go away to college because she's afraid he'll get in with the wrong crowds. Freddie acknowledges that these fears are common, even reasonable but what's not reasonable is her hiding every acceptance letter that comes from outside Seattle.<p>

Sam comes in with a grin on her face and something held behind her back. When she places the stack of envelopes all with return addresses from out of state on his lap, it's laughter that bursts from his mouth and rumbles across his chest. Sam's the only one who can make him feel this way.

_You completely know the power that you have  
>The only one makes me laugh<em>

* * *

><p>"You know the only reason I'm going is to make fun of you right?" Sam asks, as she watches Freddie's grin light up his face.<p>

Freddie lets out a low chuckle, "That's not why you're going."

"Then why am I going, Mr. Smarty-Pants?" Sam sticks her tongue out her still-chuckling boyfriend.

"You are going to a Galaxy Wars Convention, because you love me," Freddie says.

Sam groans, "I hate that you're right about that."

_Said it's not fair  
>How you take advantage of the fact<br>That I... love you beyond the reason why  
>And it just ain't right<em>

* * *

><p>Freddie isn't sure what to do when he first gets the call from the hospital saying his mother collapsed at work. He may complain about her almost constantly, but he loves his mother very much and he knows that he needs to get down there and see if she's okay, even though the doctor assured him it was just from over work. He knows he has to go down there, but he doesn't think he can do it by himself. As if on auto-pilot he finds himself dialing Sam's number, and being so relieved when she says she'll be right over to go with him.<p>

He might hate her but he loves her just that much more, and he's glad that even though Sam and his mother will never see eye to eye, Sam will drop whatever she is doing to be there for him.

_And I hate how much I love you girl_  
><em>I can't stand how much I need you (yeah...)<em>  
><em>And I hate how much I love you girl<em>  
><em>But I just can't let you go<em>  
><em>But I hate that I love you so<em>

* * *

><p>Maybe one of these days Freddie will actually remember why he was mad before Sam kissed him. Or Sam will stop being frustrated when Freddie uses big words which make her feel small. And maybe one day they won't need to fight any more, they'll just be able to have normal conversations and love each other without the hate.<p>

But if that happens, they both secretly fear that the spark, that the passion, that the love in their relationship will disappear with it. They may be like volcanoes (dormant for years, but doomed to erupt eventually), but they would prefer that to anything else. That is what makes them different, that is what makes them special, that's the magic they create when they're together, and neither one of them really wants that to change.

_One of these days maybe your magic won't affect me  
>And your kiss won't make me weak<br>But no one in this world knows me the way you know me  
>So you'll probably always have a spell on me...<em>

* * *

><p>"I hate you!"<p>

"No you don't,"

"You're right, I love you,"

"I know,"

"You're a blonde headed demon,"

"I know,"

"I'm so in love with you,"

"You're a dork… I love you too,"

_Yeah... Oh...  
><em>_That's how much I love you (as much as I need you)_  
><em>That's how much I need you (oh...)<em>  
><em>That's how much I love you (oh..)<em>  
><em>As much as I need you<em>

* * *

><p>"You make me so angry! Sometimes I just hate you!"<p>

"Right back at you,"

"But most of the time, I just don't know what I'd do without you,"

"I don't know what I'd do without you either."

"You know, I love you right, Freddie?"

"I know you do, I love you too,"

_And I hate that I love you so  
>And I hate how much I love you boy<br>I can't stand how much I need you (can't stand how much I need you)  
>And I hate how much I love you boy<br>But I just can't let you go (but I just can't let you go no..)  
>And I hate that I love you so<em>

_And I hate that I love you so... so..._

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Fitting song don't you think? I hope you enjoyed it! R&R!


	62. Handcuffs

**AN: It's unbelievable really; my laptop died permanently just a few days after I posted my last chapter. I really hope you like this chapter though… although I'm really sure how Seddie it is. It's funny though… and a reminder as to why this story is in fact rated T!**

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><p><strong>Handcuffs<strong>

**Freddie POV**

I stand carefully with my eyes trained on the blonde girl who is crouched down in front of me. I glance at the timer on my PearPhone just as the lock clicks open and Sam waltzes inside like she owns the place. I quickly double check to make sure that I have all of my equipment before slipping in behind her and making sure to relock the door. "Okay, you ready Sam?"

"Always, Benson," she smirks, as I count down, "Here we are, at 3:43 am in front of Spencer's door ready to film another segment of Wake Up Spencer, since Carly is in Yakima this weekend! Okay, let's go!" Sam pushes open Spencer's doors.

As I film Spencer, I notice something seems off. His head is tilted back on the pillow, one arm resting underneath his head, mouth open and light snores issuing from him, as his chest rises and falls evenly. That's all pretty normal for a sleeping Spencer, the odd thing, is his other arm which seems to be above his head at an odd angle attached to something fuzzy and green, "Are those-" I began to ask, but Sam cut me off.

"Handcuffs?" Sam finishes with surprise, "I think so…"

"But that would mean…" I trail off.

Sam shakes her head, "The door was locked," but even as the words leave her mouth we hear a set of keys turning in the lock. And suddenly Sam is pulling me across the room to Spencer's closet and shutting sliding the door shut, as we hide amongst the clothes hanging around us and piling up on the floor.

It's dark, so I can't see Sam, but I know she has to be close because the closet isn't all that big. I quickly realizes that my camera is still on and making a low humming noise and I switch it off, and place it down slowly, making sure not to bump into Sam, before standing again and leaning against one of the walls.

We hear Spencer's bedroom door open again, and then we hear a sweet female voice coo, "Spencer, I'm back, and I've got the pudding!"

And all of a sudden I know where Sam is, because my eyes have adjusted and because she's right in front of me shaking with silent laughter, and I have to bite back a laugh of my own as I watch her small body tremble. I watch as Sam mouths "Pudding?" to me, and I shrug my shoulders in response.

We hear the female voice again, but louder this time, "Spencer!"

A loud grunt and some shifting occurs as Spencer apparently awakes, "Oh, hi," he says sounding sheepish.

"I can't believe you fell asleep!" The girl shrieks, "You send me out for pudding and it takes me an hour to find it because it's so early in the morning and then you just fall asleep?"

Suddenly, I feel something warm pressing against my chest, and I look down. I had been concentrating on the conversation and not noticed that Sam had stepped even closer until now, as she appears to be stuffing her face into my thin t-shirt. I can feel her quaking against me as her laughter builds and know it will only be moments before her sometimes-too-loud laugh escapes her. I wonder if she can even hear the conversation anymore as my heart beats double-time in my chest and in my head. I don't move, knowing that any movement could result in my losing a part of my body.

We hear a noise and I assume that Spencer is trying to reply but the girl shrieks again before he can get a word in, "You know what, and I'm just going to leave!" There's a pause in words as footsteps get softer, then louder as I believe the girl returns to her previous spot, "And I'm taking the pudding with me!"

At this point I have to slap a hand against my own mouth and end up letting out a mild snort that is thankfully covered up by the girl slamming Spencer's door shut. "Wait!" Spencer shouts as the footsteps fade into the living room, "I'm still trapped here!" he calls and then we hear another bang as the front door is slammed as well, "You could have at least left the pudding," Spencer mutters and that is when Sam loses it completely and she starts to laugh, although it is quiet, and soft… I would actually call it giggling. She buries her face even further into my shirt and I have to close my eyes and take a deep breath counting down from five.

With Sam this close to me, I can't concentrate, and I really need to if we're ever going to get out of here. Spencer complains for a few more moments before sighing deeply. That's when I press my ear against the closet door, and wait. Thankfully, it isn't too long before Spencer's snores fill the room once more.

Sam has finally calmed down enough so I tap her on the shoulder and slide the door open, we both tiptoe out of the room, as I remember at the last second to grab my camera. We slide out into the hallway, "Oh my gosh," I say, finally allowing myself to laugh.

"That was the most awkward thing ever," Sam starts laughing again and I have to nod in agreement.

"Let's never film a Wake-Up Spencer again," I suggest clutching my sides.

"Awwww," Sam sighs, "But the fans love it,"

"You're right," I concede, still trying to get my breath back.

"I always am," She grins at me.

* * *

><p>It's only a few days later when Sam, Carly, Spencer and I are all in the Shay's apartment building. I'm seated on the high stool in front of the Shay's computer, while Sam is sprawled out on the couch, and Spencer's sitting in the black chair beside her. Carly's in the kitchen, rummaging and searching for something, "Spencer," she starts to complain, "Why isn't there any pudding?"<p>

As Spencer explains he just didn't get a chance to get some this weekend Sam and I share a look and simultaneously burst into laughter, as both Shay siblings turn to look us as though we are insane.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I should be getting a new laptop as soon as my student loan comes through. I'm really hoping that's soon. Like sometime during the next week :) wish me luck and R&amp;R!<strong>


	63. Hamster

**AN: GUESS WHAT? I GOT A NEW LAPTOP. I LOVE IT VERY MUCH AND YOU WILL ALL TOO! Okay. Now for some review replies.**

**Kuroneko – I'm glad you spent so much time reading them Thanks for reading!**

**Anonymous – I hadn't updated because my computer was dead but now I have a new one. I'm really glad I like you.**

**Okay, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Hamster<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

"I don't even understand why I'm here," I complained as Sam dragged me into the pet store.

"You're here because I needed your mother's car and your license," Sam replied, "For the cage and food and bedding and tubes,"

I rolled my eyes at her. This should not be something that I'm doing with her. Borrowing cars and asking someone to drive you around is something to be expected of from a boyfriend or girlfriend. And Sam and I aren't dating anymore… or maybe I should say not yet again.

But here I am nonetheless, watching as Sam presses her face up against the glass of every single cage in the store, "Are you really going to be able to take care of a hamster too? Won't Frothy try and eat it?"

I figured since Frothy lived in the Puckett household he couldn't get much food since often times there wasn't food in the house. Plus Sam had a fairly new rabbit as well, her mother had actually made good on her promise.

"Frothy is well-fed, better than me anyway, cause I'm the one who feeds him," Sam said with a hint of hurt in her voice. She had always taken very good care of Frothy while keeping herself and even her mother sometimes alive.

"Okay, so why not another rabbit?" I asked "To be friends with Fatcake?" of course Sam had named her rabbit after one of her favorite foods.

"Oh, I wanted another rabbit but my mom said no, even when I promised to make sure they were both boys." Sam said with a slight grin now, "Mom didn't want to take a chance on a bunch of baby rabbits appearing,"

"Ah, so… then a hamster is the next step?" I questioned, at least we were communicating and hadn't reverted back to hating each other. It's almost as if Sam was trying to be my friend.

"Well, yeah, I was going to get a couple of rats but Carls said if I got rats she would never come into my house ever again and I can't always stay at her place… just most of the time, gotta make sure the animals are fed right?"

I nodded seeing how this made sense; Sam kept walking now, toward the back where the small pets were kept. I followed her, noting the light spring in her step, she was actually excited. As she examined a bunch of hamsters her eyes strayed to the food bowl where a hamster was actually sitting inside the bowl, and a smile lit up her face.

The small creature was almost all dark reddish brown; there was a small stripe right in the middle of a back that was a lighter brown with less red in it. The hamster cheeks were bulging overstuffed with food, "That's her," Sam said.

"How do you know it's a?" I asked.

"Just trusting my gut," Sam replied with a shrug moving away from her hamster to go and find the cage, she loaded the stuff up in my arms (how did I end up carrying all of this?) and told (more like ordered) me to go wait at the cash register.

I struggled over to the cashier, and only had to wait a few moments before Sam returned with a teeny pet carrying case with her hamster safely stowed inside, "It is a SHE!" she informed me.

"That's awesome," I said as the cashier ran the purchases through and Sam actually handed over the money to pay for a change. Briefly I wondered where she got so much money, but then remembered she had been working part time somewhere though she wouldn't tell me where.

I automatically started picking stuff up again, and Sam clutched her hamster close to her, the cashier handed Sam her change and smiled at her, "It's so nice that your boyfriend is carrying all that stuff for you,"

There was an awkward pause as neither one of us knew what to say then I opened my mouth and stuttered, "I-I'm not, I mean, we're not… it's not like…."

Sam cut me off, "See you later," she told the cashier.

We left the store and Sam let out a little snort, "You're so coherent you know that?" she said and it was almost fun to hear her tease me again as we made our way through the parking lot.

"I just don't know how to respond to those types of things," I said with a sigh as I unlocked my mother's car and opened the trunk with difficult since my hands were still filled with all sorts of hamster paraphernalia.

Sam actually helped me organize the things in my mother's ridiculous tiny car with it's even more ridiculous trunk, "Just ignore them, or if you like to torture them be like, 'she's my sister,'"

I laughed, "I don't think anyone would believe that,"

"Well, if they don't watch iCarly they might," She shrugged.

"Who doesn't watch iCarly?" I said as we both climbed into the car.

"Losers," Sam replied, clicking in her seatbelt and adjusting the tiny pet carrier on her lap.

"Touché," I did up my own seatbelt and turned the keys in the ignition and the car quietly purred into life.

"Okay Benson, take me and my little Bacon home now," Sam ordered as I eased the car forward carefully into the parking lot and then onto the road to Sam's house.

"Bacon?" I asked with a small grin.

"Yup, she looks just like a fat little piece of bacon," Sam said although she was talking more into the cage then to me.

I resisted rolling my eyes and instead thought of how amazing it was to see such a warm and nurturing side of Sam. Then at a red light I closed my eyes for a second and wished I didn't love her, then immediately took that back. Instead I wished I were a little more abnormal.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you guys liked it R&amp;R!<strong>


	64. Ham

**AN: Here is a new chapter, set right after iLove You**

* * *

><p><strong>Ham<strong>

**Sam's POV**

I rode the elevator down by myself at 12:01 am. I left the Bushwell building by myself. I refused to let him walk him home. He had protested but I insisted that that was a boyfriend thing to do and we weren't boyfriend girlfriend, not as of midnight.

I sighed as my feet pounded Seattle's sidewalk, making quick yet careful work of the distance home. It was backwards. This whole situation – no our whole relationship was backwards.

Kissed before we were dating, said I love you after we broke up. If it wasn't Freddie it wouldn't make any sense, but of course nothing Freddie and I ever do makes sense. We had gone from hating each other, to dating, to breaking up; to saying I love you, to being friends. That pattern didn't make sense for the normal couple, but Freddie and I had discussed my being abnormal.

I reached my door and knocked twice before entering. I never knew who my mom would have over if she was even home, so it was always better to be safe than sorry. Thankfully, tonight my mom seemed to be out, as the inside of the house was dark and silent. I flipped a few lights on and headed to my room.

There I collapsed on my bed, and let out another heavy sigh. What was I supposed to do? I knew from Carly's experience and from movies and TV shows that the girl was supposed to breakdown and cry. But that was what all those clichés were for. I wasn't a cliché kind of girl.

Plus, Freddie hadn't dumped me, and despite what I would tell the people at school, I hadn't dumped him either. It had been a mutual decision and while some part of me hurt – maybe over the loss of Freddie, maybe just over the loss of a decent boyfriend (the first decent one I've ever had) – I didn't feel like crying.

Perhaps, I should tell someone. But who to tell? My thoughts immediately turn towards my best friend. And I can't think of anyone else, but I wonder if Freddie's already told her. It's late though, so chances are he just went back to his apartment after I left.

I pull my PearPhone out of my pocket and type in a text message to my favorite contact.

_Carls, Freddie and I broke up._

It's about 30 seconds later when my phone vibrates against my lap.

_OMG. What happened? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over? Just the say the word. _

For the first time since I left him I feel a grin trying to come across my face. It tried to surface but didn't quite make it, falling back into a slight frown.

_I'll give you the details later. I think I'm going to be okay. No, you stay home, I'll see you tomorrow._

The next reply arrived even faster than the first.

_Okay Sam, be safe. Good night, love you._

My heart beat faster as I realized Carly hadn't been the first to say those words to me tonight, though she did make an attempt to tell me them fairly often. Tonight, I can't bring myself to say it back.

_See you tomorrow Carls._

Then I turn my phone on silent and flip my clock-radio on. Normally I would feel like sleeping by this time, but tonight that's not the case.

I get up and exit the room, heading on auto-pilot towards the fridge. I opened it, pulled out my secret stash of ham, and sat on the counter beside the fridge to eat it. I took it out of the package and just before I was able to take the first bite, I put it back.

I didn't feel like eating. I didn't feel like eating anything.

Not even ham.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you liked it! R&amp;R!<strong>


	65. Guess

**It's been awhile. I've been busy with mid-terms and projects and such, but now I am done and have a break week next week so hopefully I'll get a couple of uploads in.**

* * *

><p><strong>Guess<strong>

**Carly's POV**

It's not unusual for Sam to burst through my door with a grin on her face and excitement just surrounding her. So, I'm not surprised when it happens, instead the conversation that comes after the bursting into my apartment unannounced is what surprised me.

"Carly! Carly, guess what!" Sam exclaimed with a huge smirk and I'm afraid to ask what she's done, because well… you never know with Sam.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide a small smile from my overexcited best friend.

"No, you have to guess," Sam shook her head, her blonde curls whipping back and forth across her face.

"Um…" I thought for a moment, "Your mom found a decent boyfriend?"

"Get real Carls," Sam rolled her eyes. "Try again!"

"You just pulled the greatest prank on Mr. Howard?"

"Nah, I'm still working on my master plan for that one… don't really know where to get some of my supplies," Sam informed me.

"You won the lottery?" Only money or food could make Sam this excited.

"Carls, you have to be 18 to buy a ticket, try harder," Sam flopped herself down beside me on the couch.

I took that moment to study her. Her cheeks flushed pink from excitement a certain sparkle in her eyes, blonde hair sticking in every direction and the biggest, brightest smile I had seen on her since she and Freddie had broken up.

Then the light goes off in my head that had to be the answer. She was this happy again because she was with Freddie again, I felt a smile creep onto my face almost matching hers as I squealed, "You and Freddie got back together!"

Sam rolled her eyes again and muttered, "I wish," then as if just realizing what she had said she slapped a hand over her mouth like she could shove the words back in.

But it's too late. I had heard her, and in my mind I'm thinking I knew it, but I told her, "You wish?"

The colour drained from Sam's face and her demeanour changed complete, she seemed to sag against and into the couch whereas only moments before she had barely been able to sit still. I stared at her, and she nodded, just a tiny bit, barely acknowledging the fact that she had let slip.

"Oh Sam, you love him don't you?" I asked, almost afraid to confirm my suspicions.

She nodded again, even smaller than the last one.

"He loves you too," I explained to her, as Freddie had confessed as much to me.

This is where things started to surprise me because Sam replied, "I know."

"You know?"

"He told me,"

"What?" I asked becoming more confused by the second.

"He told me he loved me," Sam repeated.

"Does he know you love him?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then… I'm confused, if you both love each other why aren't you together still?" I pressed a hand against my temple; this was giving me a headache.

"Because we're not… right… I'm too abnormal, Freddie's too normal…" Sam rambled and it doesn't make sense and I feel like there's something that she's not telling me, but Sam had fallen silent I sensed that I needed to change the subject.

"So what did you want to tell me before?" I asked trying to cheer Sam up.

And then suddenly there's a little grin back on her face, and she said, "Someone bought me another year's subscription to Bacons of The World," She grinned.

It was nice to see her grin again so I avoided rolling my eyes. How could she not know that Freddie had sent that for her? My two best friends are both in love and stupid. I guess it's true that love does make you stupid.

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><p><strong>AN: Hoping to update this soon, but also if you're a HP fan you should check out my HP fic Demented Memories!<strong>


	66. Gravy

**AN: Here's another chapter. I hope you like it. :)**

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><p><strong>Gravy<strong>

It's not unusual for Sam to wake Carly up when they're sharing the same bed. It's usually with a hard kick to the shin with mismatched sock covered feet. Sam happens to be a restless sleeper, tossing and turning often and almost as active as she is while she's awake, even when she's in a deep sleep. Plus, the positions she tends for favor are just strange in Carly's opinion.

But it's not often that Sam is shaking Carly awake in the early hours of the morning, a little harder than she probably should. Carly's eyes snap open and she immediately turns to her best friend with a look that is filled with concern, "What's up Sam?" she asks, her voice a little raspy from sleep.

"I had this dream that I was in a vat full of gravy," Sam starts to explain.

"Well, that must have been a fantastic dream but it's 3 am Sam," Carly groans.

Sam shakes her head frantically, "But it wasn't a good dream, I was drowning in it, it was filling up my chest and burning and it was awful," Sam's voice cracks slightly and Carly wonders briefly if she's going to cry, before reassuring herself that Sam wouldn't, not over a dream.

"Oh Sam," she sits up and leans over to give the blonde a tight hug, "It was just a dream, don't worry about it too much – when was the last time you got a good night sleep?"

Sam shrugs her shoulder, she can't remember, "Well, try to go back to sleep tonight okay?"

"Okay," Sam says, laying back down and turning her back to face Carly.

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><p>Carly meets Freddie at his locker the next day and she's not going to lie, he looks terrible. "Good morning, Freddie," She smiles up at him.<p>

Freddie looks back at her and says quietly, "Morning, yes, good, not so much,"

"Well someone's a little grumpy," Carly half-jokes.

Freddie sighs, "Sorry, Carly, I just didn't sleep well last night…"

"Oh you too?" Carly asks, meaning of course Sam but not letting Freddie knows that.

"Yeah… I kept having bad dreams…" Freddie trails off.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Carly asks.

"No, but do you think I can crash on your couch this afternoon, my Mom is having an Aggressive Parenting meeting on how to properly scold your child."

"Of course, Freddie," Carly nods.

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><p>That afternoon Carly finds Freddie thrashing in his sleep and she rushes over to wake him up, with Sam trailing after her, slowly, almost sleepwalking.<p>

"Freddie!" Carly shakes Freddie in almost the same way Sam shook her.

Freddie's eyes fly open and he lets out a big gasp and finally registers his surroundings. "Another bad dream?" Carly asks quietly.

Freddie nods, and then Sam speaks up although she hadn't heard the whisper from Carly. "Fredward shove over, I'm exhausted,"

Freddie complies without really thinking about it he just wants to go back to sleep. "You okay, Freddie?" Carly asks, as she stands up and walks over toward the stairs.

"Yeah, I'll be alright Carls," he assures her.

"Why don't you two both try to catch a couple more hours of sleep while I start on my homework upstairs?" Freddie and Sam both instantly agree, both shifting into more comfortable positions on the couch. Carly glances back at her tired friends one last time before heading up the stairs.

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><p>A few hours later when she heads down to grab a snack from the fridge, she is greeted with a sight that is adorable. Sam and Freddie have adjusted themselves so that Freddie's back is against the couch, and his head is resting on a pillow which is propped against the arm of the couch. Sam is leaning with her back pressed against Freddie and her head resting on her left arm which is folded up. One of Freddie's arms is flung protectively over Sam's waist, and Sam's right arm is resting on top of Freddie's.<p>

Carly almost squeals at her two best friends, but since she doesn't want to wake them, she instead tiptoes quietly back up the stairs, snack forgotten. When she gets to the top of the stairs she turns around for one last peek – thinking she hasn't seen Freddie or Sam this peaceful in ages.

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><p><strong>AN: Please R&amp;R! I really do appreciate it.<strong>


	67. Grapes

**AN: Okay, I'm sorry, I am a terrible person and you all deserve to shoot me. I had some trouble writing this, and I'm not sure that it's any good at all really, because it doesn't follow Sam and Freddie when they're dating. But I think the Seddie is most definitely there, you just might have to look for it. As for the incredible wait, I am sorry, but I am also writing a novel this month, so my updates will be sporadic. Nothing to be done about that really, but I have written over 10000 words so far for it.**

**Secondly, I have an anonymous reviewer to reply to. HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER! I can't believe you read the entire story in two days! Glad you liked it! I'll try to be update sooner.**

**Thirdly, you should check out my HP fics (SHAMELESS SELFPROMOTING) which I am also going to try and update today.**

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><p><strong>Grapes<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Carly, Sam and I were all sitting on the couch being very bored and munching on an after-school snack of grapes. There was not much to be done having just finished the planning for iCarly and homework not being on anyone's mind until much later that night – if it ever even crossed Sam's mind.

Carly sighed loudly and said, "I'm bored,"

"Me too," I complained, although I really shouldn't because there's rarely a boring day in our lives, but I am, "Where's Spencer?"

"He's got a date," Carly replies as she watches Sam pluck a grape off the stem toss it in the air and then catch in in her mouth.

"Darn, he's always good for entertaining us," I laugh, but Carly shakes her head.

"Because he sets things on fire most of the time," Carly says with a laugh. Sam tosses another grape into her mouth and we both pause to watch fascinated.

"What?" Sam asks her mouth full of mushed up grapes.

This causes both Carly and I to crack up, "We were just watching you catch the grapes," I say.

"Do you ever miss?" Carly asks.

Sam grins and tosses another green sphere in the air and catches it between her teeth, smashing it, she flashes us another grin, "Never,"

"I doubt that, let's test that theory," I suggest and grab the bowl, holding it above my head and out of Sam's reach. It's a dangerous move to take food away from Sam, and she growls at me, as Carly's eyes widen fearfully.

I have learned to move fast after years of torment from Sam. So I quickly stand and jump out of the way, still carefully holding the grapes above my head. Sam stands too and is approximately two feet away from me, so I grab a grape and toss it in her direction.

She has to dive a bit to the left, because my aim was a little bit off from nervousness. But she does catch it, and flashes another wickedly proud grin at me. Carly's laughing now, as I toss another grape and Sam catches it effortless.

"Step back, Sam," I tell her and I'm surprised when she does and I take more careful aim and throw the grape over the further distance, Sam's hair whips around her as she places her head underneath the grape and opens her mouth as it falls in.

Carly grabs a pen and paper off the coffee table and begins to score us. I continue to make Sam step back, until my back is pressed against the front door of the Shay's apartment and hers is pressed against the door that leads out of the kitchen.

So far Sam hasn't missed a single grape, but I'm not even sure if I can throw a grape this far. Sam holds her hands up in a t-shape signalling a time-out, "What if you can't throw it that far?" she asks echoing my thoughts.

"Then I concede defeat, and you will be crowned Awesome-Grape-Catcher…."

"Can I be Queen Awesome Grape Catcher?" Sam asks.

I have to laugh at that and I nod, "Of course," then I pull my arm back as far as I can and take careful aim that I used in my archery club to aim for Sam's mouth. It's clearly sailing straight in an arc and going to hit its target, and Sam open's her mouth, tilts her head back and chomps down on the final grape.

Sam throws her hands up into the air, and cheers. "I am Queen Awesome Grape Catcher!"

Carly shouts, "Wait a second!" and then runs upstairs to get something, Sam and I both look at each other bewildered and shrug our shoulders simultaneously as Carly dashes back down the stairs, something clutched behind her back. She runs over to Sam, and pulls out a child's hair tiara, the thing I suspect most girls use for dress up when they are little.

Carly stands a bit taller than Sam so she can easily put the sparkly crown shape thing on top of Sam's curls. Then Carly smoothing down a strand of blonde hair that has become slightly dishevelled and says, "Now you're Queen Awesome Grape… Catcher," Carly struggles with the long and complicated fake title.

Sam throws her head back and laughs, careful to keep a hand on her tiara so it doesn't fall out of her hair, "How's she look Freddie?" Carly asks me, in a fit of giggles herself.

I take a look at Sam who has a bit of grape skin stuck in her teach, a tangled mess of blonde curls, and her mouth wide open with laughter, and I take a special look at the crown perched on her head, "Beautiful, like a princess,"

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><p><strong>AN: Awesome. Hope this made you smile, I'll try to update soon. R&amp;R!<strong>


	68. Glint

**AN: Yes, Villainous Thoughts is a blatant parody of Criminal Minds, if you are a fan of the show. No, I do not own either iCarly or Criminal Minds (although I wouldn't mind owning Reid & Morgan XD). Just for extra hilarity, all the Criminal Minds characters have been gender swapped. Also there's some Garcia/Morgan shipping in here again, if you happen to be a Criminal Minds fan.**

**Also, Sam and Freddie are dating in this fic, it's important that you know that.**

**Glint**

Freddie is sitting in shock, staring at his girlfriend. She's never talked this animatedly about the future before. In fact, usually when he brings up college or even prom, Sam gets really quiet and doesn't speak and a blank stare appears on her face, almost like she's in math class.

So, Freddie really has to thank Villainous Thoughts, the crime-based TV show, he and Sam both love. It's really one of the few shows they agree on, so Freddie was happy when they discovered a marathon of it on a lazy Sunday where neither one of them wanted to leave the comfort of the Shay's apartment.

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><p>"Who's your favorite character?" Sam had asked, during one of the long commercial breaks.<p>

Freddie had answered very quickly, "Definitely Percy," referring to the FBI's technical analyst, who had a weak stomach but an epic computer system.

Sam had rolled her eyes, even as she leaned back against Freddie's chest, "Of course, you'd think the nerdiest character is the best,"

Freddie had argued back, "Oh no, Percy is not the nerdiest, Percy's a techy, the nerdiest is definitely Spring, she is always quoting Galaxy Wars,"

"Which you love," Sam had said with a knowing grin.

"True," Freddie had confessed, "What about you? Who's your favorite?"

"Has to be Darlene Morgan," Sam had said, with another grin, this one wicked then knowing, "She kicks some serious ass,"

"And she's hot," Freddie had mentioned, which earned him an elbow in the ribs.

Sam hadn't been able to deny it. With her dark skin, killer body, and the constant outfit of leather jacket and sunglasses, she was undeniably hot. So instead Sam had decided to change the subject, "I really don't like Percy's girlfriend you know,"

"Why not?" Freddie had asked, suitably surprised, "Percy and Kendra are amazing for each other, they just work well together – they're both such techies,"

Sam had rolled her eyes at this, "Yeah, but I actually think Percy and Darlene belong together, just look at the way they talk to each other, their so flirty, it's so obvious,"

"But, Percy and Kendra have been together for so long now!" Freddie had insisted.

"We will never agree on this," Sam had said, shaking her head, and Freddie nods in agreement on that point. They fall into another comfortable silence as the next episode starts. At the end of this episode is when Sam started to surprise Freddie more than ever before.

"You know, this job that they do, what is it called profiling?" she had asked Freddie who had confirmed with a quick nod, "Profiling is really cool job. I think that I'd be good at it. I think I'd like to help catch the bad guys,"

"Sam, you used to be one of the bad guys," Freddie had told her, he had been about to say are one of the bad guys, but Sam had definitely changed for the better over time.

"Which is exactly, why I would be good at it," Sam had said sitting up.

* * *

><p>And this brought them to where they were now, with Sam exclaiming happily about the future, "Do you know how I could do this? Do you think I could do this? Do you think I would be any good at it?" she peppered Freddie with questions.<p>

He could only grin back at her, "No, I don't know how you would get into that field, but I'm sure if you talked to Principal Franklin he could help you, and yes, you absolutely could do this, you can do anything you set your mind to, Sam. And finally, I think you would be great at it – you're in great shape, and you're fast and strong, so even though you are on the small side…" here Sam growled at Freddie, and he held up his hands defensively, "you'd have no trouble at all with the physical side of things, and you'd have to work a little harder in class maybe, but you are smart, so you definitely have the ability to do this,"

Sam had flashed a brilliant smile at him, and continued on about how cool it would be to do the job and how she could actually do something meaningful with her life and how she actually wanted to do this and she had never really given her future much thought to before (which Freddie decoded as her being scared of not know what the future held) but now, now that she thought of this she thinks she is actually on par with her senior classmates for the first time this year.

Freddie notices how animated Sam is, her face is flushed from excitement, she is speaking rapidly and there even seems to be a glint of determination in her eyes, which Freddie is sure wasn't there before.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed it. For future reference, or just cause you wanted to know Spencer Reid is my favourite Criminal Minds character. R&R!**


	69. Girly

**AN: ****This chapter is dedicated to every girl who has ever had a moment like this, I don't want to spoil it, but I know I have had many. I do not own Lady Gaga's You and I (but Liz Gillies did a really good cover of it that I also enjoy) and I do not own iCarly.**

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><p><strong>Girly<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I walked into Sam's house calling her name, but I am not surprised when she doesn't answer. There is music blaring throughout the extremely small house and as I make my way up the rickety and unsafe stair that lead to Sam's bedroom (which for some has two twin beds squished into it) I recognize a song that has become very popular. I think that is like Sam to like the unusual and the too strange for my taste – but for Sam unusual is the best and Lady Gaga is nothing if she is not unusual. So the popular is about half way over by the time I reach the door and although I do knock I know that is a fairly unlikely that Sam has heard me at all, so cautiously I push the door open, and see such a surprising sight, that I am glad that I go unnoticed, and lean back against the door frame to watch.

Sam is standing on her bed, with her loose curls tumbling around as she dances. Her eyes are closed and she sings into a hairbrush that she is using as a makeshift microphone, "_We got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent. 'Cause you can't buy a house in Heaven. There's only three men that Imma serve my whole life. It's my daddy and Nebraska and Jesus Christ." _Sam sings the lyrics off by heart and this is not a song I would ever have imagined her singing along too, even if I think she is a Lady Gaga fan. She puts her whole heart and soul into the special move she has clearly choreographed to this piece and in her tank top and pajama shorts with mismatched socks on her feet I can only think that she was about to go to sleep, or maybe she had just woken up. Either one would have made sense since it was Sam and although it was only three o clock on a Saturday afternoon, she did love to nap.

I wondered if I should make a dash for the stereo across the room and stop it. Then thought that Sam might not like to know that I was here and watching her. Better her to find out that I was here after it is over then for me to interrupt her and have it turn out like anyone who interrupts her while she is eating. I did want to live, thank you very much. _"Something, something about the chase, six whole years" _here Sam holds out the microphone-brush and displays five fingers on her free hand and the thumb that is gripping the handle to emphasize the six. "_I'm a New York woman, born to run you down," _Sam always has been a city girl – she calls anyplace outside the city the boonies, even if it a fair sized suburb, "_So have my lipstick all over your face. Something, something about just knowing when it's right. So put your drinks up for Nebraska. For Nebraska, Nebraska, I love you." _Sam holds up her free hand here and waves it and her tank top inches up just a bit and exposes some of creamy skin, I look her up and down and realize that even though she doesn't know I am staring, looking at her like this could be dangerous.

"_You and I. You, you and I. Baby, I rather die!" _She holds a hand over her heart_, "Without you and I. You and I. You, you and I. Nebraska, I rather die. Without you and I."_ And she sings with gusto.

The song slows and has a small break, so Sam, plops herself into a sitting position (eyes still closed) and tried to catch her breath, she hangs her long legs off the edge of her bed, and crossed on one of them over the other, she pretends to play the keyboard as she sings along, "_It's been a long time since I came around, been a long time but I'm back in town. This time I'm not leaving without you_."

A surprising thought hits me as the songs ends and Sam collapses back on the bed and her hairbrush clatters to the floor– still without opening her eyes. The thought is that what I had just witnessed was a very girly thing to witness. It is the kind of thing that I would expect to walk in on Carly doing, I had once watched a movie with Carly, Sam and Spencer and the girl had sang into her hairbrush while getting ready for school, Sam and Carly had grinned at it, but I had found it a little unbelievable at the time. And yet, here I was, having witness, Sam the least girliest of all the girls I know (and don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change her for the world) performing a very girly thing. This is when I decide to knock on the open bedroom door.

Sam's eyes snap open as she shoots up in bed and realizing it is me and not some intruder (although I feel if she knew what I saw she might have thought that I intruded) she says, "OH, hey Freddie, I didn't hear you come in, when did you get here?"

I choose not to answer that and instead remind Sam that I am here to make sure she gets started on her book report. Sam groans and whines and complains, but gets out her laptop, when I remind her that this year is senior year and she needs to pass. As she gets out the book she's said she's read (I have my doubts since it was assigned by the teacher) she reaches for her the remote that has fallen underneath her bed, and turns the stereo back on, and as You and I begins to blare again, I can't hide the smile that grows across my face as I gaze at my blonde-headed frienemy.

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><p><strong>AN: I really liked this, just a cute little moment between Sam and Freddie. And she doesn't even clue in that he's there and watching her. So, don't forget to sing into your hairbrush and don't forget to R&amp;R!<strong>


	70. Gift

**AN: Okay, so I haven't updated in quite awhile, in my defense though I did write a novel. No lies. 50000+ words. But as an apology...**

**This is a special Christmas chapter! I hope you enjoy it; it just fit so well with the prompt. This is set post-iLove You.**

**PS: I loved Jade's outfit in A Christmas Tori and that's what I want for Christmas. Lol. That and reviews!**

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><p><strong>Gift<strong>

Freddie Benson hurried through the overcrowded mall on Christmas Eve. Normally he's not one of these people running around buying last-minute Christmas presents, but he still had to find something for Sam. Freddie had actually finished his original shopping months ago, but that had been when he and Sam were still dating and now he's no longer sure if such a gift is an appropriate gift to give to just a…whatever Sam is to him now, he's not really sure any longer. So he's looking at the name of each store trying to decide if there is anything Sam would like in there and not bother to pay attention to where he is going. Therefore he smacks straight into someone smaller than him.

He looks down intending apologize when the other person growls, "Watch where you going you -" Freddie starts to laugh then and Sam looks up at him recognition dawning on her face, "Oh, it's you," she says with a smirk, "I should've know, what are you doing here?"

"Just trying to find a gift for the last person on my list," Freddie says with an innocent shrug of his shoulders.

"Me too," Sam nods, holding up her already bought presents, all purchased today. She is known for being a procrastinator, "Just one more person then I'm headed to Carly's to open our presents, you'll be there right?"

Freddie nods then dares to ask her, "So who are you shopping for?" he expects her to say Carly, it had taken him ages (even though he had been looking months ago) to find the perfect gift for Carly. Sam hesitates for a second or two before she answers, "You," in a much quieter voice than normal.

Freddie laughs then, loudly and Sam stares at him incredulously before whining, "No, it's not fair – yours was the only gift I didn't actually procrastinate for!"

Freddie snaps back to attention and all his laughter is silenced as he looks at Sam curiously, "You already bought me a present?"

Sam nods her head, "But that was when we were dating and now were….you know…" Sam explains and Freddie is glad that she is at a loss for words as to where they stand right now as well.

Then he laughs again, "It's funny," he says when Sam glares at him and opens her mouth but he hurriedly continues, "No, it is funny, because I did the exact same thing," Freddie pauses again briefly here as he watches Sam's mouth open in shock. "I bought you something ages ago." Freddie continues.

"Well, we're very messed up then aren't we?" Sam says the smirk finding its way back onto her face/

"We must be or we wouldn't be us," Freddie agrees, "Okay, so…. What do you want to do? I can't find anything that I think you would like,"

Sam nods her head, "I know the feeling,"

"So what should we do?" Freddie repeats.

Sam looks stumped for a few seconds before she says, "You already have a present for me?"

"Mhm," Freddie confirms.

"And I already have a gift for you, so why are we still shopping?" Sam wonders aloud.

"Because of our… awkward state?" Freddie struggles trying to name them, "I mean what are we?"

Sam snorts but it's not in a derisive way, "Friends. Enemies. Ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend." She lists, "I see where you're going with this, but do you want to do something absolutely insane?"

Freddie eyes Sam cautiously his definition of absolutely insane and hers differ greatly and he's worried about what she considers to be absolutely insane. He looks at her for a few moments then glances around the mall one more time; just an announcement is blared through the store, "The Mall Will Be Closing in 15 Minutes, Thank you for your patronage and Happy Holidays!"

He's running out of time, so Freddie takes a deep breath and finally answers, "Sure,"

"Okay, let's just give each other or original presents – no hard feelings either way?" Sam offers and Freddie thinks that it's the best idea either one of them has had all night, so he agrees then offers to walk Sam back to Bushwell with him, since they're both headed to Carly's anyway.

She rolls her eyes as she accepts his offer, but only with the promise of a smoothie. Freddie and Sam walk together to the entrance of the mall and Freddie is suddenly delighted to hear Sam's laughter, "Freddie it's snowing!" she says gleefully, knowing that it won't stay long for too long, before the rain comes once again.

Freddie looks up and sees that is in fact snowing and he groans inwardly, snow on Christmas Eve is undeniably romantic. Sam's cheeks are turning pink from the cold but that doesn't stop her from using her bare hands to test the snow to see if it's packing snow.

Freddie closes his eyes and that is a mistake because a snow ball whacks him in the side of the face. "Hey!" he cries indignantly, eyes snapping open and glancing around for the blonde culprit.

His own (safely gloved) hands find their way into the snow and create a quick snowball, keeping an eye out for Sam, who is at this moment probably sneaking up on him with an armload of snow. He doesn't know how she has disappeared so quickly, but he doesn't want to make any move until she either gets him or he spots her.

Luck must be on Freddie's side this Christmas because Sam is attempting to sneak up on him, but she steps on a twig which had somehow found its way onto the city sidewalk and it snaps with a loud crack. Freddie easily whips around and uses his fairly new muscle mass to throw his snowball at Sam. She shrieks and lifts her arms to shield her face, dropping the armload of snow she had gathered, as the snowball hit its target perfectly. It lands directly on top of her head and shatters, soaking her hair.

Freddie grins triumphantly, and Sam picks up her previously discarded bags and continues on the way to Bushwell with Freddie at her side. After a brief stop at Groovy Smoothies the pair continue on, not talking but not uncomfortable, just simply enjoying each other's company.

They take the elevator up together and enter the Shay's apartment without knocking. Freddie runs quickly back to get the presents he has stashed in his own place before dashing back across the hall. Sam has already placed her store-wrapped presents underneath the Shay's tree (real this year and Carly has stacked fire extinguishers all around the apartment as a safety precaution). Freddie looks at the growing pile of presents and feels a smile across his face.

Sam is staring at the packages with her name on it like she stares at bacon, hungrily. Freddie places his own carefully and individually wrapped presents underneath the tree. Carly and Spencer both appear at this moment, each from their own rooms and add the final gifts to underneath the tree. "Are we ready?" Carly asks bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Sam's fingers twitch and move an inch towards one of her presents before she pulls it back, remembering that she should wait. Carly places a Santa hat on Spencer's head saying that he gets to deliver the present and Spencer delightedly pulls out a bag or wrapped package for each of us. Everyone looks towards Carly, Freddie waiting patiently, Sam with her finger poised above the bow on her package and Spencer fidgeting, "Sam you go first," Carly instructs, "But make sure you read who it's from first,"

"To Sam, Love Carly," Sam reads quickly then her fingers make short work of the bow and rips off the wrapping paper. Inside is a pair of heeled boots, since Sam has felt sick of being so short compared to Freddie and Carly lately. The boots are black and knee length and Sam excitedly pulls her converse off and the boots on zipping them up, then standing. She looks up at Freddie and Spencer still but she's at least eye level with Carly and doesn't have any trouble walking in them, thanks to her pageant skills.

"Thanks Carls!" Sam throws her arms around Carly's body and hugs her tightly.

"You're welcome," Spencer is now bouncing impatiently and staring longingly at the blue bag with silver reindeer silhouettes that he is holding.

"Spencer, you next," Carly says with an extremely exaggerated roll of her eyes. Spencer shouts, "YAY!" and reads, "To Spencer. From Sam." He opens the bag and pulls out a bunch of art supplies (like glue, paint, scissors etc.). They're all top of the line and not cheap so Sam must have been saving for a quite a bit to pay for them, "Wow, thanks Sam," Spencer says, as Sam sits back down swinging her boot-clad feet. Spencer catches one and gives it a little squeeze, "Carly you next," Spencer insists, and Carly is happy as she reads off her tag, "To Carls, Love Sam."

She unwraps the present neatly and folds the paper then places it on the floor beside where she is sitting next to Sam. "OH WOW!" Carly shouts excitedly, and she holds up the new item fast but it quickly pulling it over her head so we don't even get a chance to see it, "It's the new Cuttlefish hoodie!" she pulls the hood up, carefully adjusting her hair as she does. "Thanks so much Sam, you're the best!" Carly leans over to give Sam a hug as Sam replies, "I know," with a grin.

So, now Freddie is the only one left to still open his present and he reads, "To Freddie, from Spencer," Freddie unwraps the small package to find a gift card for the Groovy Smoothie with $30 on it. "Oh thanks this is just what I needed Spencer," Freddie smiles gratefully, and Spencer winks at him from across the room.

Then Spencer adjusts his Santa hat and goes around again. This pattern continues until Carly and Spencer have opened their last gifts and Sam and Freddie sit with there's held in their laps, looking slightly nervous. "Ladies first," Freddie motions, and Sam quips, "Then you should go first," she's kidding though about the lady bit, it's just that anyone with the ability to do the process of elimination will be able to figure out that Freddie is holding her gift and she is holding is his. The pair of them stare at each other locked in a stalemate, before Freddie asks, "In 5?"

Sam grins at Freddie's favorite number and nods, and so Freddie takes a deep breath, "In 5, 4, 3, 2…" he cues Sam and they both open their presents and then exclaim, "I love it!" and the exact same time. Carly and Spencer laugh and the tension that has filled the room previously disappears.

Sam holds up her present so Carly and Spencer can see, it's a couple of canvases and a set of paint and paintbrushes. What Sam doesn't show them is that the biggest and best brush has been engraved with a _Love Always, Freddie_ on the metal band near the top of the handle.

Freddie also holds up his gift, smiling like there's no tomorrow. It's the novellas of Galaxy Wars and it's been signed by the author. Freddie tells everyone that it has been signed, but he doesn't read the autograph to them. It reads, _To Freddie, your girlfriend says you're the biggest Galaxy Wars fan there is. That's great for me – and even greater that you've found a girlfriend who will actually buy you this stuff. You're a lucky guy, sincerely, And then_ the signature of the author is scribbled, but there's more written on it. In Sam's messy handwriting it reads, _I went to a Galaxy Wars Convention to get this. That is how much I love you – Sam._

Freddie and Spencer start to clean up the mess of wrapping paper, while Carly goes into the kitchen and Sam follows her. They bring out a tray of cookies and a glass of Eggnog for everyone. "Merry Christmases" are shared and extra thanks and exclamations are made over the gifts but in the back of both Sam and Freddie's mind they both think that even though they had bought the gifts before they said I love you to each other, the gifts both read love. They wonder if, since this is a season of bringing people together, that they should take this as a sign. Neither one of the mentions it though, and the holiday goes on just about as merrily as it can.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas to you (although hopefully I will update before that again!)<strong>


	71. Game

**A/N: Okay, so I had a request from KryMusicLoverD to write about Sam and Freddie getting back together, and I really don't want to do that. In fact, I'm trying to stay as canon as possible. So while I will write chapters with Sam and Freddie dating it will be missing moments from when they were dating. Maybe, maybe after they get back together not the actual getting back together (because I'm convinced they will get back together).**

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><p><strong>Game<strong>

He should've been worried when he heard the words come out of Sam's mouth. It's not like they had ever turned out well for him before, but try as he might, Freddie found that he just could not say know her, it was worse than the way that Carly used to bat her eyelashes and say "Pleeeeease, for me?" and Freddie would have to do whatever she wanted. This was worse because Sam rarely if ever said "please," and he still found himself bending over backwards to please her.

So, when Sam had stretched out over the Shay's couch, sighed loudly and then complained, "I'm bored!" and Carly had rolled her eyes and gone back to the project she was perfecting, Freddie should have made up an excuse to go home, because he had known what words would come out of Sam's mouth next.

"What do you want me to about it?" he asked instead of using the tried and true, concrete tick bath excuse to leave. Sam stuck out her tongue at him and whined, "I don't know!"

"Well…" Freddie was about to suggest that they could start some planning for the next iCarly, he was set to star in it, so Sam would have to handle the camera, when Sam interrupted him.

"Let's play a game!" she shouted, springing up, suddenly animated and excited.

Freddie definitely should have left then, but he doesn't. No instead he asked warily, "What kind of game, b-Sam?" he catches himself quickly, nearly calling her babe.

Sam either doesn't notice or chooses to ignore it, because she continues, "One my mom taught me,"

Freddie hears Carly mutter an, "Oh boy," or perhaps an "Uh oh," or an "Oh no," and finds himself replaying games he had played with Sam in the past. One that strikes him the most memorable (and they are all memorable) being the orange that he's pretty sure permanently bruised his spine. Sam hasn't hit him – really hit him – since he tried to pry her off Gibby, so he's hoping that this game won't involve too much pain.

"So, what is the name of this game?" Freddie asked, and Sam walks into the kitchen and pulls out a bunch of tall plastic glasses from the cupboards, "Hallway bowling," Sam explained, she's searching for something to use as a ball it becomes clear that the glasses will be the pins.

"Aha!" Sam says, pulling a small toy ball out from under the stairs, it's just one of the plastic ones stamped with a Dingo show character, and Sam doesn't know why it's there, but she knows it'll work. Carly looked up at Sam's gleeful exclamation and finds her blonde friend setting up a bunch of her dishes (thankfully plastic) in a pyramid shape in the hallway that leads to the bathroom and Spencer's room.

"Are you sure this is safe, Sam?" Carly asked, with a worried tone in her voice. Freddie kept his eyes trained on Sam, following her every movement, with a slight smile on his face.

"Please, Carls, Mom and I played this with a real bowling ball and glass," Sam said, omitting the word bottles but no one in the room needs to hear it to know what they mean, "Spencer's not home right?"

Carly glanced at one of the clocks on the wall and shakes her head, "Nope, he won't be home for a few more hours,"

"So he won't be in his room and won't trip over this stuff, anyone have to take a whazz?" Sam asked gestured towards the bathroom and Carly and Freddie both crinkled their noses and shook their heads. "Good," Sam said, and finished setting up the pins.

"So… how do we play?" Freddie questioned, finally snapping out of his Sam-watching reverie when she straightens up.

"Almost like regular bowling. Except unlimited turns to knock down all the pins, and you're timed. Once all ten are knocked down the time stops, the person with the fastest time wins." Sam informed Freddie quickly, the held out the ball to him, "Ladies first," she joked.

"Ha-ha Puckett," Freddie said, though he took the ball and motioned for Sam to begin timing him. Freddie is not a bad bowler, it's that aim that he's got that helped but the plastic ball is much lighter then he's expecting so on his first shot he only knocks down two pins.

It's Freddie's first time playing the game, but it only takes him three rolls to knock down all ten plastic cups. This clattered noisily as they fell over and into one another. Sam glanced at the timer on her PearPhone, "47 seconds, not too shabby B-Benson," It's been awhile since she's called him by his last name and Freddie looked up slightly shocked, but he supposes it is better than other things she could be calling him so he lets it slide.

"Now, you set them up," Sam instructed and Freddie moves to automatically do what she has told him too, "And I'll show you the master of this game,"

"C'mon, it's my first time playing and I have time under a minute," Freddie raised an eyebrow at Sam silently asking her how she could possibly beat that. He checked the pins one last time, making sure they were properly placed. "How could you possibly beat me?"

Sam simply smirked and Freddie, indicated that he should start timing her and when he nodded in her direction she took a step back, moving her arms backwards too, then she swung her arm forward and low and let the ball roll across the hall.

Two seconds later there is an unbelievably loud clatter of plastic against plastic and wood against plastic as all ten "pins" are knocked over. Freddie stopped the timer and stared at in complete disbelief, "10 seconds," he shouted over the noise as the last pin finally stopped moving.

"Oh yeah!" Sam pumps her fist into the air, "I am still the Hallway Bowling champion!" She does a victory dance, laughing, and Freddie stared at her again. Carly looked up at first annoyed with the racket and planning to ask her friends to kindly shut up while she finished her project.

Instead Carly found herself watching Freddie and shaking her head. Freddie's eyes are once again glued on Sam's face. Sam is not paying attention because she is busy chanting, "Mama is the winner! Mama is the winner!" But Freddie hasn't taken his eyes off his ex-girlfriend and Carly is sure that the expression on his face is the exact definition of "in love."

Sam stopped her victory dance and chant and looked at Carly who was looking at Freddie. So then she looked at Freddie who had he's eyes trained on her, "What?" she said suddenly feeling self-conscious (like she did every time Freddie looked at her) "Do I have something in my teeth?" the butterflies in her stomach that she thought she had killed are suddenly alive and doing the quickstep, when no one answered her Sam stomped her foot and asked more forcefully, "What is it?"

The stomp made Freddie jump back and he shook his head slowly as if coming out of some sort of trance, "Sorry Sam," he said sheepishly, "I drifted off there for a second,"

Sam glanced at him suspiciously but decided to let it go – just this once, "Okay then…"

Carly wanted to slap her hand upon her forehead, her two best friends are very dense, and instead she lets out a loud groan and turns back to her project. "What?" Sam and Freddie both asked turning to look at her.

"Nothing, just… having trouble finishing this project up," Carly said and added in her head _and wondering why you two ever broke up._

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><p><strong>AN: Sooo, I'm home for the holidays and hoping to update as many times as possible while I am home. That is my Christmas present to you :). So hopefully I'll update again before the actual day if not Merry Christmas again!**


	72. Frienemies

**AN: We're going way back and setting this around iKiss and iReunite with Missy. I like this chapter. This will be my last Chapter before Christmas as it is Christmas Eve right now. So, this is my Christmas present to you, Merry Christmas if you celebrate and Happy Holidays if you celebrate something else!**

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><p><strong>Frienemies<strong>

**Freddie POV**

Sam and I aren't really friends. Carly says we are and while part of me agrees with her there's no way I can hate someone who's my friend. Sam says we're enemies, and again I can see that with the hitting and the teasing but I'm not really sure that's true either. If I wasn't Sam's friend I wouldn't give up a cruise around the world.

If she wasn't my friend she never would've apologized to me. Sam never apologizes to anyone let alone me. But we "went right back to hating each other," and we did. Nothing changed between us and I'm glad because that could have been quite awkward and then Carly would've been suspicious and I still love her, I just wanted to get it over with. So did Sam.

It's undeniable that Sam and I have some things in common. Both have missing father figures, insane mothers (crazy in different ways but both crazy), and spend an inordinate amount of time at Carly's house. Carly says we're both stubborn and that we love to argue.

I don't agree with that. Well… I'll admit that I'm a little bit stubborn, but I do not love to argue. In fact I hate arguing, but Sam loves it, and she eggs me on. She knows just what buttons to push. Sam knows me – and to me that suggests that we can't just be enemies.

People say keep your friends close and your enemies closer, so that's why I like to ask Sam questions. I want to know more about her, and she knows more about me than anyone else, except for maybe Carly and perhaps my mother.

I felt the need to protect Sam even if I claimed it was for the sake of iCarly. I wondered why I felt the need to do that. I understood my need to want to protect Carly; anyone who's ever looked at Carly has felt that need - the need to protect the innocent brunette, but the devious blonde? Sam didn't need to be protected, heck, sometimes I wished she would protect me from some of the meaner kids at school (but Sam is one of the meaner kids at school). She's more than capable of caring for herself. This time was different; somehow, Missy had changed things.

Sam had asked me for help and originally I had refused to help her. I had not even believed her at first and I am a little bit ashamed of that. But I did help her, something about the way her voice broke as she turned her back on me and left something about the way she had begged and it was almost like she was showing me what happened. I had known I had to do something about it.

If Missy had been trying to get rid of Sam and she had succeeded then it would be the end of iCarly as I knew it. iCarly with Carly, Sam and I worked, it just worked. It was never as good when one of us was missing and it was never the same when we were fighting. The three of us together with occasional appearances from Spencer and Gibby were what made the funny, perhaps even magical.

After pondering what I could Sam and I for days I decided to ask the only other person who would actually understand my dilemma, "Hey, Sam," I said to her as we hung out in the Shay's apartment one afternoon after school.

"Yes Fredweird?" she asked rolling her eyes at me.

"I know we're not friends…" Here Sam uttered "no duh," but I chose to ignore her and continued with my train own of thought, "but were not really enemies anymore either are we?"

"I suppose that's true," Sam muttered thoughtfully.

"So… what are we then?" I asked, "I'd like to have a name for it,"

Sam rolled her eyes again, "I don't understand why you feel the need to label everything," she said, "You're you and I'm me, and together we're us… that's it really…" she paused, "But I suppose if we really needed a names for it, the name could frienemies."

"Frienemies," I repeated thinking it through, "I like that."

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><p><strong>AN: Once more, Merry Christmas! R&amp;R!<strong>


	73. Friday

**AN: Sorry it's been so long! Haha, I feel like every chapter I've written recently is so sad and this one is no exception**

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><p><strong>Friday<strong>

Freddie sighed as the date flashed across the screen of his PearPhone. Friday night, and he had nothing better to do but update the iCarly website. This was his life – how pathetic. He was seventeen, he should be partying – not studying, which he was planning on doing as soon as he finished uploading his newest blog. But Freddie was never really a partier anyway. There are things he'd rather be doing though, like seeing a movie with his friends or planning the next iCarly or going on a date.

But his friends were busy, Carly was holed up studying extra hard for the test she had coming up on Monday. Gibby had to watch his brotherwhile his mother went away this weekend for a work conference and well, Freddie didn't know where Sam was. She didn't share that sort of information with him anymore, and avoided hanging out one on one ever since they broke up.

Freddie has had too many Friday nights like this to count, but that's not is problem really. He could deal with lonely nights when there was no one he actually wanted to spend them with. It had made them seem less lonely, and he had always been able to find some way of entertaining himself until the night grew old.

No the problem was that he knew exactly who he wanted to be with and why he wanted to be with her and still that's not even the most frustrating part. The most maddening thing is that two weeks ago Freddie had that. He was out on a date with the girl of his dreams. The crazy girl of his dreams but the girl of his dreams nonetheless. The one he still wanted to spend time with the one he still wanted to be with even though they had claimed the break up was mutual. Freddie had been out with the girl he loved, and he just wanted Sam back.

It was a stupid thing to be thinking even though when they broke up they had talked about possible getting back together, but in the future. Freddie didn't think that two weeks was considered the future or at least not far enough into the future. He didn't feel anymore abnormal and he's almost positive Sam isn't any more normal (for the last iCarly they had planned she had suggested inflicting small cuts on Gibby then pushing him into a pool of rubbing alcohol). Still he loves her and he wants her back.

Freddie sighs and closes his laptop, he can't concentrate on the work he needs to get done, because his head if filled with thoughts of Sam. So quietly, he sneaks out of his apartment and to the fire escape window. Peering out at it and remembering the very first time he kissed Sam (back when he really did hate her, sometimes, at least) and for a second he thinks he sees a flash of blonde hair. Then it's gone, and Freddie shakes his head trying to clear It, it had just been because he was thinking about her. He carefully climbs out on the fire escape and sits down in the chair he left there two years ago. So much had changed since then. Now he knew he was in love with Sam but he still didn't have her, he had her a for a brief while, far too short in his opinion and maybe things could've been different if they hadn't listened to Carly. After all, her advice about them taking an interest in each other's hobbies hadn't turned out so well. So why had this time (especially when her words hadn't even been directed at them) been so different?

So here Freddie was, in the same place, on the same day of the week (a Friday) when he thought Sam had ruined his life. The thing was when he and Sam had kissed the first time after it they had said I hate you. Before their last kiss (or last set of kisses really) they had said I love you. So that was probably the part that hurt the most. If Sam didn't love him back he could let her go, he was used to rejection, he was even good at it. But the fact that Sam loved him back and he knew that - that was what was torturing him on this Friday night he was spending alone.

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><p><strong>AN: See? I told you sad, right? I think Sam and Freddie have to get back together on the show so I stop writing such depressing chapters. Does anyone else concur? Let me know when you R&amp;R!<strong>


	74. Flying

**AN: Sorry, I know it's been insanely long. But this is what happened, I went back to school, and back to work. Also, I turned 20. Happy birthday to me! Haha. So, I apologize for the wait, but here's a chapter I think everyone will enjoy.**

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><p><strong>Flying<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

It was going to be a great trip. Since Carly had just turned 18 we were all old enough to travel by ourselves now. My mom of course had freaked out and tried to lock me in my room to keep me from going but eventually I had talked her down as long as I called her every hour from the moment the plane landed. I could still harldy believe that thre three of us were flying all by ourselves though.

Right, that's right, we were going on a trip. Just the three of us, Carly, Sam and I, to New York City. It had been a present from everyone for Carly's birthday and we all jumped at a chance to experience the city that never sleeps.

Right now though we were at the airport just boarding our plane, which was on the smaller size of planes. Carly was looking around the cabin with a slightly panicked look on her face, I noticed but Sam spoke first, "You okay, Carls?"

Carly glanced around the inside of the plane one more time, "I think I'll be fine as long as I have a window seat," she said after a long pause and a deep breath.

"No problem," I assured her, and lead her to the row where our seats were marked. Three seats together then an aisle then two seat on the other side. We had managed to score three seats next to each other, so Carly sat down in the window seat and pushed the shade of the window all the way up and pressing her face against it.

Sam squeezed her small body past mine in order to sit next to Carly, and that left me with no choice but to sit beside Sam. It's not that we're not friends; it's just that ever since we broke up Sam has been doing more to torture me than she has in years. Gibby might appreciate it, but I thought we were past this whole hating each other thing. This shouldn't be like the first time we kissed when we agreed to go straight back to hating each other, no this time should have been different because we had plans to get back together, maybe, probably, hopefully, in the future if Sam gets to be a little more normal.

Carly's face remains pressed against the window even as the flight attendant went over the safety maneuvers and its exits. Sam rolls her eyes while flicking through the magazine she plucked from the seat pocket in front of her. I however pay attention as the flight attendant points to the emergency exits knowing that if there is an emergency Carly will be the first to panic.

The flight attendant sights back down, I glance up and the clearly lit seatbelt sign, and check to make sure that both Carly and Sam are buckled up before I click mine into place. I offer out pieces of gum to help with the ear popping, and lean back in my seat as the plan starts down the runway.

It's a smooth take off and we are in the air in no time. The captain announces the estimated arrival time and the weather in New York City and we fly through a cloud, breaking above the rain that seems constant in Seattle.

Minutes into the flight, Carly has calmed down enough to flick through the one of the seven hundred magazines she has somehow stuffed into her carry-on bag. I now that the captain has announced it is okay pulled out my laptop and start to checked on the iCarly site.

Sam stretched and pulled her gum out of her mouth then stuck it down on my fold down table, yawned and then fell asleep; faster than I humanly thought was possible. A few minutes later, I shut my laptop, carefully replaced it in its case. The movie started to play across the screen at the front of the plane, and I smiled as the Galaxy War Theme starts to play, I settled in to watch it.

About ten minutes into the movie I felt something land against my shoulder accompanied by a soft thump. I looked down and see it's Sam's head and heard a light snore issued from her. I am very uncomfortable, and shifted a lot trying to get Sam to move but not wake up – because let's face it you never want to wake the sleeping bear.

Carly poked half of her face over the magazine, and looked at me. "Oh just put your arm around her, Freddie," she sighed exasperatedly.

I looked at her, and felt my eyebrows shooting up into my hairline, "What?" I asked, trying as hard as possible to keep my voice to a whisper.

"It's not like you haven't done it before," Carly said.

"Yeah, but that was different" I said, gesturing with my free arm, "Now, if I do it, I don't want to die!"

Carly laughed, and Sam shifted in her seat, somehow pressing more weight onto me in a painful way. I winced.

"Oh, please," Carly rolled her eyes, "She's not going to kill you, you know those are empty threats, it's how Sam deals with the things that hurt,"

"For the most part they're empty threats, but…" I tried to shrug my shoulder then realize I can't. Sam moved again, and this time I inhaled sharply as she pressed against some part of me in a way that it shouldn't be.

"Well, it's either lift your arm or deal with the pain for the rest of the flight, 'cause you know she won't wake up," Carly said with a giggle, then concentrated on her magazine again.

For the next few minutes I tried to stay perfectly still and see if that would help, but the stabbing and jabbing pain did not go away and finally I decided that death when Sam woke up was better then this torture now. Carefully, I lift the arm that she had her weight on up and move it so it rests across her shoulders. Then I closed my eyes and prayed that Sam didn't wake up.

I felt her move again but this time I let out a sigh of relief as she moved her head so it was actually leaning on my chest. She sighed happily in her sleep, and I find my hands moving of their own accord. My fingers gently brushed through her hair and I realized that this felt more than comfortable. This felt nice. This felt good. This felt familiar. Sam cuddled up next to me felt more then good.

It felt right.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh my goodness this is adorable. :D. I hope everyone likes it! R&amp;R!<strong>


	75. Flowers

**AN: Oh goodness please prep yourself for adorableness. This chapter makes me go "aaaawww," and I wrote it. How's that for a fast update?**

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><p><strong>Flowers<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I didn't often quietly watch my daughter and wife from afar, but I had come home to the most adorable sight ever and I hadn't wanted to interrupt it. I had been out running errands, picking up some extra ham and other things that we had run out of earlier than expected. So, I had pulled the car into driveway, grabbed the big and headed into the house and to the kitchen which had a sliding glass door that led into the relatively small backyard.

After putting the food away and not being attacked by my wife and daughter both insane ham lovers, I began to wonder where they were. Sam hadn't left me a note or texted me, but that wasn't unusual. However it didn't stop me from worrying and just as I thought about panicking I decided to check the backyard.

Looking outside I caught sight of both the blonde and the brunette I had been looking for. Shay was sitting in my wife's lap, chatting and possibly singing happily, waving her arms about emphatically. Sam was playing with our daughter's dark curly hair and appeared to be listening intently.

All of a sudden Shay tilted her head all the way backwards and I lost sight of her lips but I presumed she asked a question because Sam nodded and Shay stood up then and ran around the perimeter of yard gathering something up.

I slid the door open quietly and took a step outside careful not to interrupt them, content with the observations. Shay stood on the tips of her toes and began tangling the items in her mother's hair, so contrasting in color but so similar in texture. Sam looked up then and caught sight of me, she winked in my direction.

"All done, Shay?" Sam asked, as her daughter plopped down beside her.

"Mhm, you can be pretty for Daddy now, and I can be pretty for Johnny!" Shay exclaimed clapping her hand.

"Who's Johnny?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I approached them and tried to hide a grin as I identified the objects adorning their hair.

"Shay's boyfriend," Sam said pushing herself into a standing position and kissing me on the cheek.

"Boyfriend?" I asked, honestly shocked, and directed my question at my baby girl.

"Yup. And I love him!" Shay said proudly.

Sam dropped her voice so only I could hear her, "This is your fault you know, you were in love with Carly since you were 12!"

"12 not 5!" I replied but then turned my attention back to Shay, "Is that what that's for?" I asked pointing to the flowers that we braided neatly into Shay's brown hair.

"Yup!" Shay said excitedly, "And I did Mama's so she can look pretty for you!"

I glanced at Sam's blonde head, tangled and strewn with mostly leaves and very few flowers with petals and smiled widely, "She does look beautiful, good job, honey," I tell Shay, biting back a laugh.

Sam elbows me in the ribs discreetly, "Let's start dinner, yeah? Shay, go inside and wash your hands,"

Shay did as she was told running as fast as her five-year-old legs would carry her. Sam and I headed inside and I pulled out the ham as Sam washed her hands in the kitchen sink. I shook my head in disbelief, "A boyfriend already? I am so not looking forward to her being a teenager,"

Sam lets out a wistful sounding sigh, "She's growing up so fast…"

"Yeah, she is, but she's only five, we've got lots of time," I say leaning over to peck Sam on her flower-infested head.

"But she's not a baby anymore, " Sam half-whined, as she turned off the tap.

I put the knife I had been using to carve the ham down, grabbed Sam by the waist and spun her around to face me, "Are you saying what I think your saying, Sam?"

Sam looked at me with a mischievous grin, "Let's have another baby, Freddie," she said.

I leaned down and kissed her, and she pulled away after only a few seconds and I pouted. Sam hit me lightly, "I didn't mean right now, you tool."

Shay arrived back in the kitchen at this time and announced in a sing-songy voice, "I love Johnny and he loves me!"

"She is so like you," Sam complained, though I know she secretly adored it every time Shay did something that reminded her of me.

I ignored Sam and turned to Shay who was scrambling up into her booster seat (she's still small for her age). "So, did you ask Johnny to be your boyfriend?"

"Yup," Shay nodded quickly, and I raised my eyebrow, my daughter loved to talk and one word answers were clear signs that she wasn't telling us the whole story.

Sam had noticed too, as she finished carving the ham I had started carving and quickly assembled a salad. "What else happened?" Sam asked Shay, sharing a quick glance with me.

"I said, "Johnny, be my boyfriend." And he said, "No. You have cooties." Then I said, "Be my boyfriend Johnny or I'll beat you up,""

Here Sam and I looked at each other again and I could tell Sam was close to cracking up so I continued the conversation, "And then what happened kiddo?" I tried to keep my voice level.

"Johnny said he loved me and I was his girlfriend so I didn't beat him up," Shay finished as if it was the simplest explanation in the world.

Sam clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent her laughter from escaping, "Still think she's just like me?" I asked as she brushed past me on her way out of the kitchen, heading towards the bathroom and I sat down to explain to Shay why what she did was wrong.

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><p><strong>AN: I've always found chapters about Sam and Freddie in the future to be popular. I hope you feel this one is the same! R&amp;R!<strong>


	76. Flawed

**AN: This is dark and twisty but I kinda like it. Also my 75th chapter (I'm couldn't be happier to have your constant support and reviews, I honestly appreciate it so much more than you all know!)**

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><p><strong>Flawed<strong>

**Sam's POV**

Freddie's words cut me deep even though I don't let him know. It hurts all the more because they're true. Freddie always speaks the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts. Still, I'm not normal. I never have been and I never will be. So we don't belong together.

Now, I know all the Seddie fans out there are cringing and crying and whining. But it's not Freddie's fault, really. He's the normal one. I'm the one who's flawed. I'm the one who doesn't belong with a good, nice, sweet guy like Freddie. I don't deserve hi. Especially not after the way I've treated him all these years.

Freddie is all things good. He deserves someone perfect. Someone like Carly, everyone knows he liked her for so long, and if he doesn't want Carly (haha, yeah right, he _always_ wanted Carly) he should have someone like Melanie. Even if the dweeb still isn't sure she's real.

She is of course. And Freddie would love her. Because she looks just like me and acts just like Carly. Actually, Carly's got some sass in her, something that makes her snip a little, witty remarks come from Carly when I can't think of them quick enough but Melanie's not like that. Melanie's perfect.

Perfect grades, perfect attendance, perfect attitude, perfect blonde curls, perfect, perfect, perfect, and even miles away so Freddie's mom would never have to find out about her. Plus Melanie likes Freddie too, she thinks he's cute (I'd never admit it, but I thought so first). She thinks he's smart (I know he's smart, he always has been). She thinks that I'm all wrong for him (and she's right).

It doesn't even matter that we love each other. Or that we say we do anyway, and I have a hard time believing anyone when they utter those three words to me. It doesn't even matter because sometimes people who love each other shouldn't be together. This is the real world, it's not a fairy tale filled with happily ever after. I was never meant to be a princess.

My heart breaks again at that thought because Freddie does call me Princess. Never in public, but when we were alone he'd call me Princess Puckett and it was great. I won't have that anymore. I won't be able to kiss Freddie whenever I want; I won't be able to lean my head on his chest. Sure, maybe I'll be able to casually sling my arms around his shoulder on occasion, and sure I can still make him laugh, and I'm positive will still argue, but I don't know how to be just his friend. I know how to be his girlfriend, and even that took a while to get straightened out, and I know how to be the girl who pretends to hate him but secretly loves him. There's no in between, because I don't know how to do that, and I don't think I should have to learn.

So I'm going to go back. Go back to a time when it was easier, when it was tormenting Freddie that made my day. When irritating him live on iCarly was my hobby, even my passion. When I could get a rise out him by saying just one sentence, I'm going back to the Sam he hated, because it's sure easier than being the Sam he loves and the Sam who loves him.

Now, I'm not the kind of girl to eat ice cream and cry (I'd rather just have the ice cream). I'm not the kind of girl who lies in her bed for days depressed (I'd rather take naps than just lie there). I'm not the kind of girl who hides from her ex-boyfriend for days, weeks, even months on end (besides we have iCarly rehearsal tomorrow). I'm not that kind of girl, but that doesn't mean that I'm not the kind of girl whose heart doesn't break (because it's been broken way too many times to be fixed.)

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><p><strong>AN: Don't worry Sam and Freddie will get back together (that's what I keep telling myself anyway). R&amp;R!<strong>


	77. Fight

**AN: I know it's been a little while. But guess what! I got a kitty, I named him James (yes, after James Potter), he's black and adorable and living up to his name (mischiefmaker). So, this chapter is intense. I hope you like it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Fight<strong>

It's the first big fight they've had since they broke up. Freddie doesn't even remember how it started but it was probably over something stupid. Sam doesn't understand why Freddie cares so much it's not like he's her boyfriend anymore, what she does shouldn't matter to him.

Carly doesn't want to get into the middle of it. She had been their relationship counselor once, and she wasn't about to do it again. It didn't matter that they weren't even in a relationship anymore. So Carly sits down on the couch crosses one leg over the other and replies to the text Wendy has sent.

Gibby doesn't really get it. He's never really understood why Sam is so violent or why Freddie lets her get to him. You'd think that they'd have gotten over this after all these years. Freddie doesn't yell very often, but for Sam… at Sam… it's like there is no way to stop him. Sam yells a lot, but when she yells at Freddie it's like there is no one else in the world.

Spencer doesn't really know what to do. He's used to these two teens arguing, and even being violent with each other, but he's never seen anything quite like this. The way Freddie runs his hands through his hair harshly and gestures wildly is out of place on the normally very calm boy. And Sam, who always looks wild, is standing still as a statue, her arms crossed in front of her chest, her jaw set and her glare deadly.

This isn't like their normal fights which can be solved within minutes, this is big, and it's really serious. It's about the future and Freddie thinks Sam is making all the wrong decisions. Sam thinks that even if she is making all the wrong decisions they are still her decisions to make.

"You can't not go to college!" Freddie exclaims throwing his hands up in the air.

"Why can't I?" Sam asks, coldly, and too quietly.

"Because then all of the work you went to this year was just a waste!" Freddie continues, "Sam, YOU PASSED! You're graduating! Was all that for nothing?"

"Fredward, you don't get to decide what I do. It's my life," Sam repeats the same line she must have said a million times to him, "I am going to get a job. If I don't graduate then I'll be stuck at a place like Chili My Bowl and I'm not going to have that happen again,"

Spencer tilts his head at this announcement; something about Sam's explanation is a little off. She's telling the truth (not that he'd be able to tell if she was telling a full-out lie) but it also may not be the whole truth. Carly's stretches out on the couch and despite not wanting to be involved keeps sneaking peeks at her best friends. Gibby spins around slowly on his chair, he thinks he must be imagining it, but it looks like Sam is going to cry if Freddie doesn't stop yelling at her.

Freddie doesn't notice this because he keeps screaming, "This has to be the stupidest thing you've ever done!" and even that is harsh coming from Freddie but he doesn't stop there, "And you've done a lot of stupid things Sam!"

Sam doesn't even notice when the tears start to spill, "If working means I can save Melanie's…" here Freddie snorts because his believing in Melanie is still dubious, however Sam just continues"life, then what does it matter if I don't go to college?" and she doesn't even care that he won't believe her, or that she's crying in front of a whole room filled with people.

There's a silence that falls across the room when Sam stops speaking. It isn't broken until there's a clatter on the hardwood floor, Carly's jaw is hanging wide-open, Spencer takes a step forward and then thinks better of it and moves back behind the counter again. Gibby just continues to stare. Freddie shakes his head slowly, "I can't believe you would use your fake twin for an excuse,"

"She's not fake," Sam says her voice seething with anger, "She's real, and even though I hate her sometimes, most of the time, she's my sister and she's sick! And she won't get better without the treatment that my mom can't afford. Not that she even gives a crap anyway…" Sam mutters the last part more to herself then anyone.

Carly stands up then, thinking that she regrets not getting into the middle of this before. She literally inserts herself in the middle of the pair of them. She is on an angle so she can see both of them at the same time and she speaks to Sam first, "Why didn't you tell me?" when Sam just shrugs her shoulders Carly turns to Freddie and looks him directly in the eye, "Melanie's real, Freddie,"

Freddie groans exasperatedly and turns to Spencer. And when he sees that the guy he's looked up to all his life and views his fallen face he knows that it must be true. In which case that meant that he owes Sam an apology, he looks at the girl across from him and is startled. He hadn't noticed she was crying, he was too busy berating her. Freddie nods at Carly and then steps around her, face to face with Sam once more, "I'm so sorry, Sam."

Sam nods curtly, and wipes at her eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stop the flood of tears, "She's real and she's sick, and I need to do this for her,"

Freddie just wants to wrap Sam in his arms now, hold her and whisper that everything will be okay, but since she's not his girlfriend anymore he doesn't think the boundaries will allow that. Sam speaks again, her voice still muffled, though her arms are now dropped by her side, "I want to go to college,"

Freddie feels his heart break for the girl in front of him all over again, "Oh Sam…" he says not knowing what else to say, still fighting the urge to gather her in his arms.

Carly speaks up tentatively, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Gibby nods in agreement, knowing that he wants to help his friend, even if he's never met her sister.

Spencer is the only one who doesn't speak, instead, he takes a few of his long strides into the living room and holds his arms open. Freddie almost doesn't see Sam streak past him but once he sees the blonde in Spencer's arms, he feels a pang of jealousy ringing through him.

Freddie hears Spencer whisper "It's going to be okay," to Sam, and another pang goes through his body. Even though he knows that Spencer is just doing his job as surrogate-older-brother-to-Sam, he feels like he should be the one comforting him. After all, Freddie's the one that is in love with her and as far as Freddie knows she still loves him too. Although, maybe not after this fight.

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><p><strong>AN: Dan keeps breaking up my favourite character BTW. It's rather rude of him (first Sam and Freddie now Jade and Beck?). I still love his shows! R&amp;R!<strong>


	78. Dress

**AN****: I know, I'm terrible, it's been an epically long time. It's just it was mid-terms and soon it will be exams… so I have to work, work, work, study, study, study. It doesn't help that I got a second job :O. So my life is crazy but that really isn't an excuse is it? Everyone has crazy lives.**

**ALSO I'm insanely thankfully to all my faithful reviewers and to the new ones as well. I love that I have over 800 reviews. I'm so proud of this story, and I'd like to thank each an everyone of you personally, but that just isn't going to happen. The best I can do is keep writing.**

**PS: Check out my Victorious Fanfic: When Cat Cries, and the fairly new update of Demented Memories: Fred and George.**

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><p><strong>Dress<strong>

Sam looked up for her sketch book and frowned. This hadn't been what she had sat down to draw. In fact, when she sat down and pulled out the brand-new sketchpad and set of pencils (an engagement present from Spencer) it had been out of pure boredom. She hadn't wanted to think about the wedding anymore. She had never been a planner, and frankly, as long as the food was good and her groom showed up then she couldn't give a crap about the rest of the wedding stuff. Thankfully, Carly did, so Carly – the obvious maid of honour – was the one who was sitting with the Wedding Planner making decisions, while Sam held her sketch book and arm's length and looked at it critically.

She tilted her head to the left to see if looked any worse from that angle, and to her amazement it looked even better. "Ugh," she mutter frustratedly, took her eraser to the page and then fixed some lines. It was just so damn perfect, why did it have to be about the wedding?

Carly was walking the wedding planner out the door, smiling and agreeing to something Sam was sure she didn't care about then Carly was waving and turning around, making her way back towards the couch. She plopped down with a heavy sigh, "Thanks for all the help Sam," she said sarcastically, but in a good-natured tone, she didn't really mind, "I'm exhausted, but we're almost done, what have you been staring at for the last twenty minutes?"

Sam quickly snapped the cover of her sketch book closed, and lied convincingly, "Nothing, just doodles."

Carly raised an eyebrow but dropped the subject. She elbowed Sam in the ribs gently and said, "I'm going to start dinner. Spaghetti tacos tonight." Carly got up and went into the kitchen to start the water for the pasta.

Spencer ran out from the hallways that led to his room and almost startled Sam she hadn't even known he was home. "Did I hear someone say spaghetti tacos?" he asked bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, like a five-year-old kid.

"Yup, dinner in about a half hour or so," Carly replied from her spot in the kitchen.

Spencer collapsed on the sofa behind Sam and peered over at the sketch book still clutched tightly in her arms. "May I take a look?" he asked in a tone far too calm and far too polite for Spencer, but he figured it was better than having Sam chop his head off if he just grabbed it out her hands saying "GIVE ME! GIMME!"

Sam hesitated but out of all the people she knew, Spencer was the one person she would be absolutely willing to share this with. So, glancing to make sure Carly wasn't looking (and she had her head in the cupboard muttering something to herself along the lines of, "where is that ladle?") she handed the sketchbook over.

Spencer flipped to the last used page, the page with Sam's own version of the dress she would wear down the aisle. His grin widened, "Sam, this amazing."

He didn't miss it when Sam's eyes lit up at the compliement. "You really think so?" she asked, trying and failing to hide the pride and excitement in her voice.

"It really is," Spencer said glancing down at the sketch again.

The dress was not what one would expect a wedding dress to look like, it was an off the shoulder corseted bodice, with dark shaded laces (Spencer suspected Sam would want to use a red or plum colour) that tied up the corset in the back. The skirt part of the dress was aysemmtrical, above the knee on what would be Sam's left side, and falling to a triangular point, nearly touching the floor on the opposite side. There were small and simple swirl details that compliemented the lace of the corset trailing down the skirt. It was easy to tell that Sam had drawn this for herself it was tailored to accent her slim figure. Sam had drawn simple shoes to match, but they were really quite high heels. For the veil, it was short and a fishnet style veil, it would fall over half her face, covering her left eye an adorned with a small bow that spencer assumed would attach to a hairband in order to stay on.

"It's very you," Spencer continued feeling his smile grow, "It's different, it's unique, it's… not traditional."

"Thanks Spencer," Sam sighed then, "Too bad it's just in my head and not actually going to happen."

Spencer quirked his head sideways, "What do you mean?"

"I mean…I won't be able to afford to hire someone who will make this dress for me… even though I've been saving ever since I found the r- started suspecting a proposal was coming my way."

Spencer laughed, "Sam, I have an idea."

Sam looked at him curiously and a bit cautiously, "What?"

"Socko has this old maiden aunt who can make the most amazing wedding dresses, her name is Mary, I'm sure you could get a huge discount," Spencer grinned, "But that's not all,"

Sam raised her eyebrow now, thinking what else, although she did not get a chance to speak.

"How about… for your wedding present, I buy you this dress?" Spencer asked her.

Sam's eyes widened, "You don't have to do that Spencer! I can't ask you to do that! It's too much, way too much."

"But I want to do it," Spencer nodded enthusiastically, "You deserve it."

Spencer hadn't been expecting Sam to launch herself across the couch and into his arms, whispering and then shouting in his ear, "thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH SPENCER! YOU ARE THE BEST!"

Laughing, Spencer squeezed his surrogate sister tightly, "You're welcome Sam,"

Carly's voice was suddenly heard over all the noise Sam was making, from across the kitchen, "I know my big brother is the best, but may I ask why?"

Sam bounded up, plucked her sketchbook from where Spencer had carefully maneuvered it to so it wouldn't be crushed by her spontaneous hug and ran over to the kitchen excitedly.

"Spencer's buying me this!" Sam said proudly, showing off her masterpiece to Carly.

"OH MY GOD!" Carly screeched at an ear-shattering pitch, "Is that your wedding dress?"

Sam nodded excitedly as Carly continued, "You are going to be sooo gorgeous Sam and Freddie is going to think you are so sexy in it."

Spencer cringed, and quietly exited out of the living room and back into his own room. He would come back when the spaghetti tacos were done.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong>** I hope that what I think is an epic chapter makes up for my extreme lack of updates.**


	79. Drawing

**AN: It's exam time and although that's no excuse, I'm gonna use it as one. I'd like to think this chapter makes up for it. With my knack for Shameless Self-Promoting, I have to tell you guys – go check out my Harry Potter fic, Furry Little Problem, I know you want to. ALSO I have an amazing Criminal Minds fanfic to recommend if you like the show, Plane Talk by REIDFANATIC is amazing. I love it. Read it and review!**

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><p><strong>Drawing<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

I wasn't surprised when I found my wife Sam sitting on the couch with a leg of fried chicken in one hand. Sam was always eating, even when she wasn't expecting a child, but this was something a little new. Sam was drawing, I know that she drew when she was bored, and being put on bed rest was pure torture for the unusually active Sam.

I paused in the doorway, to watch the amusing scene for just a moment. Sam was sitting up, her back propped against a mountain of pillows. Her lovely legs were stretched out across the couch, crossed at the ankle with her feet clad in mismatched socks. Her hair was tied back into a messy bun with tendrils of blonde curls escaping and dangling down her neck. There was a look of pure concentration on her face as she paused to take gnaw at the leg of fried chicken occupying her left hand. In her right hand she held her pencil, which was scribbling on the sketchbook which she had perched on her extremely oversized belly. Our baby was due any day now.

"Hey gorgeous," I called to her as I moved in closer.

She waved the hand with the chicken in at me, clearly not wanting to break her concentration. I knelt down beside the bed and started talking to Sam's belly. Well, not to her belly, but to the little human being growing inside of her. "Hi baby, how are you today? Mama's ignoring me, but that's not unusual." I laughed, "We can't wait to meet you, to find out if you are going to be our baby boy or our baby princess. Either way we love you a lot. I'm going to tell you this everyday baby, no matter what. We already decided on a name for you, baby, but we're gonna keep it a secret between you me and Mama until you're born. Okay, I'll see you soon baby." I finished up and leaned forward to kiss Sam's stomach.

"It's a girl you know…" Sam said absent-mindedly, hand still traveling at the speed of sound.

"We don't know it's a girl," I sighed, having had this disagreement many times before, "You just think it's a girl, I think it's a boy. And Carly agrees with me."

"Yeah, but neither you nor Carly are pregnant with the little monster." Sam rolls her eyes, "I can't wait to meet her."

"Or him…"I countered.

"Nah, it's a her…" she argued.

I sighed admitting defeat and asked, "So what are you drawing Princess?"

"Oh… just… an idea for when _she's _a bit older, but I guess we could start it now…" Sam shifted with some difficulty so that I could sit down beside her.

I leaned over and kissed Sam's cheek, resting one of my hands on her comical stomach and rubbing it lightly in circles.

Sam shows me what she had been working on until just a moment ago and I am stunned by the detail presented. It is a sketch of our small backyard, but something new has been added to it. There is a ladder leading to what looks like a clubhouse, and a curvy slide exiting that clubhouse. There is also another exit – a fireman style pole to slide down. Attached to this is a set of swings. The first being the regular swing you think of when you see a swing set, but the second is two seated swing, with the seats facing each other. I notice on the opposite side of the page Sam has drawn what will be inside the clubhouse area.

It has a wheel, shaped like the wheel of a ship, and lots of little gadgets like bells and whistles that can be pulled and played with. Things that are noisy and sure to disturb our neighbours while our child has fun. There's also a flag on the top right hand corner of the clubhouse that bears our baby's name.

"Wow, that's going to be amazing when we build it," I tell Sam watching her eyes lit up.

"You mean we can actually build this?" she asks excitedly.

"Of course we can, I want my kid to be active and have a fun and safe place to play, it'll take a little while and some money, but… we're comfortable, we can afford this." I assure her, "the baby's going to love it."

Sam tosses her sketchbook aside, grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me into a rough kiss which I return passionately. Things continue to get heated for a few moments, when suddenly Sam pulls away and gasps.

"What, what is it?" I ask my head still foggy from our very recent activities. Sam holds both her hands pressed against her abdomen. After a few moments this passes and I look at Sam who smiles reassuring me she's fine.

A few minutes later Sam lets out another little gasp and I find myself staring at her with concern, until she announces, "Freddie, get the suitcase, it's time."

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><p><strong>AN: Who else finds it hilarious that Sam goes into labour while she's making out with Freddie? Tell me when you review!<strong>


	80. Daydream

**AN: Ahem, I have an announcement to make. I am officially done my second year of university! WOO! So, it is summertime, and despite working a full time job (and possibly going to Italy) I shall try to update much more frequently. This references iOpen a Restaurant which was hilarious – but very briefly. PS: This chapter is quite short.**

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><p><strong>Daydream<strong>

It's not a girly daydreams that are playing through Sam's mind, no flowers, no long walks on the beach, no moonlit strolls; it's not romantic really, except to her. She can't believe that it's been six months and every time she slips into her own little world (a much better place to be then the real world sometimes, she thinks) Freddie's the star of her own little fantasies.

It's the picnic that he planned with all her favourite foods – held on the fire escape.

It's splashing through puddle in rain boots he bought just for her – kissing as the rain beats against their skin.

It's holding hands discreetly underneath the Shay's kitchen table, while they both eat (she's never been more thankful that she's right-handed and he's left) spaghetti tacos.

And finally, it's that one last scene, where he says the three words that she's only ever accepted as true from Carly before. That's a real memory, but she daydreams about it anyway.

But it's not just those things. Those are actual memories that she sometimes falls back into thinking about when her imagination is overworked. If her imagination is able to roam free though she thinks about a lot of things her and Freddie never got the chance to do – and never will, unless she becomes more normal (and she sincerely doubts that will ever happen).

So, instead she daydreams of: Their first vacation away together – somewhere sunny and warm where Sam can swim and surf and play Frisbee – maybe Hawaii.

Of the time where Freddie drops down on one knee and asks him to marry her against the backdrop of Seattle all lit up at night.

Of their wedding day, with her hands clasped in Freddie's bigger, warmer, stronger hands, as he whispers "I do".

Of a house full of kids, with blonde hair and big brown eyes and a big golden lab puppy that follows the kids around everywhere.

Sure it's never going to happen, but it's never hurt Sam to dream before and she sure isn't about to stop dreaming now. Look at Gibby and his dream – a successful restaurant in the school, and she's making money.

Sam knows she could get another boyfriend. She's not stupid, she knows that she's hot and that if she stopped scaring away boys that some of them might find her pretty enough (not as pretty as Carly of course) to be their girlfriend – but she doesn't want a boy like that.

Sam wants a boy who will stick with her, no matter how many insults she throws at him, how many names she calls him, how many punches she throws at him, and how often she yells at him. She wants someone who will be therefore her in all her moods, silly, angry, sad and even scared… because yes, sometimes even Samantha Puckett gets scared.

Freddie's been with her for years, never stopped being her friend despite the years of abuse, despite their short stint as boyfriend and girlfriend, he still stands by her and she loves that about him. It's only one of the few things she loves about him, because yes, Sam's still in love with Freddie – those feelings don't just disappear overnight.

So, why in the world should the guy in her daydreams be any different than the one she's in love with in real life? Since, in Sam's opinion anyway the perfect guy is already in her life.

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapters the 80<strong>**th**** chapter – who can believe that? I hope to have it up for you fairly soon, but we shall see how things go. R&R!**


	81. Dance

AN: I honestly have no excuse for not updating. But a surprising amount of chapters already have dancing in them, so I had to come up with something totally new. So, I don't own either of the songs in here, one is from the Disney Movie – The Princess and the Frog. The other is by the talented Billy Idol. But I hope you enjoy the 80th chapter of 101 Days of Seddie! I think this is set before they are dating.

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><p><strong>Dance<strong>

Freddie isn't surprised when he hears music wafting as he ascends the staircase heading towards the iCarly studio. It's not uncommon to find Sam and Carly in there goofing off but since Carly's in Yakima this weekend and Freddie had only stopped by to do some tech magic for the upcoming iCarly, but since he lived across the hall he figured that could wait. But the type of music that was flowing was a familiar tune – a melody from a movie that had come out recently but was a famous company of kid's movies. The thing about this movie and its soundtrack was that it was definitely of the jazz variety. The lyrics accompanied by the smooth sounding instruments create a great sound as Freddie looks through the glass before he enters the studio, quietly.

_In the South Land there's a city__  
><em>_Way down on the river__  
><em>_Where the women are very pretty__  
><em>_And all the men deliver__  
><em>

Sam is in her element. She is dancing along to the music playing, with a smile on her face, singing along to the song – which she clearly knows off by heart. Then she spots Freddie and for a moment he fears for his life – instead her grin widens and she gestures for him to join her.

_They got music__  
><em>_It's always playin'__  
><em>_Start in the day time, go all through the night_

"Oh no, Sam!" He shakes his head, "I don't dance."

Sam shakes her head and doesn't say anything instead grabbing his hands and pulling him towards her. Freddie tries to resist at first, but Sam is stronger than him, and very convincing, even when the only words coming from her mouth are song lyrics._When you hear that music playin'__  
><em>_Hear what I'm saying, it make you feel alright__  
><em>_Grab somebody, come on down__  
><em>_Bring your paintbrush, we're paintin' the town__  
><em>_Oh there's some sweetness goin' 'round__  
><em>_Catch it down in New Orleans__  
><em>

Freddie finds following Sam's lead in the movements surprisingly easy. She's laughing as he messes up, but then she shows him how to do the step again, and the second time he gets it. He feels his own smile adorning his face as he starts to spin around in time with the music.

_We got magic, good and bad__  
><em>_Make you happy or make you real sad__  
><em>_Get everything you want, lose what you had__  
><em>_Down here in New Orleans__  
><em>_Hey partner, don't be shy__  
><em>_Come on down here and give us a try__  
><em>_You wanna do some livin' before you die__  
><em>_Do it down in New__Orleans__  
><em>

Sam grabs his hands again and pulls her tightly towards him. She places on of his hands on her waist, and Freddie feels his face flush, while keeping the other hand clasped in hers. They start moving in sync, and Freddie knows that Sam's leading but he's surprising alright with that. What makes him laugh is when she speaks for the first time, during a short musical break, "Let go with on hand!"

_Stately homes and mansions__  
><em>_Of the Sugar Barons and the Cotton Kings__  
><em>_Rich people, old people, all got dreams__  
><em>_Dreams do come true in New Orleans_

So Freddie lifts the hand off her waist and Sam winks, before spinning herself away from him then twirling herself in the opposite direction basically wrapping his arm around her. He laughs as she repeats the process. Then he gets a sudden surge of confidence, and keeping one arm wrapped securely around her, Freddie dips Sam's small frame back and is rewarded with the contagious sound of her laughter, as the song wraps up.

"That was so much fun." Freddie says between his chuckles.

"That is why I dance, it's fun!" Sam exclaims as she heads towards the door, but she turns to him before she exits the studio, "By the way, Freddork… you can dance."

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><p>Later that week the situation is reversed, Sam's early for the first time in her life. She knows Carly won't be in the studio for another ten minutes, but Freddie's already there, according to the text Carly sent her, so Sam heads up anyway. She hears a song that sounds vaguely familiar and nearly cracks up as she enters the studio.<p>

Freddie's practicing or at the very least, trying to dance. He's doing surprisingly well, except for the intense look of concentration on his face and keeping his eyes on his feet. He does a few simple steps and then is basically just moving to the music, which is all dancing really needs to be.  
><em><br>__Dancing with myself__  
><em>_Dancing with myself__  
><em>_Dancing with myself__  
><em>_Dancing with myself_

Listening to the lyrics, Sam can't help but smile. This song is perfect for what Freddie is doing right now. He hasn't even noticed her presence. Every single ounce of his focus is on his dancing and as the song continues to play, Freddie relaxes and begins to open up.

_If I looked all over the world__  
><em>_And there's every type of girl__  
><em>_But your empty eyes__  
><em>_Seem to pass me by__  
><em>_Leave me dancing with myself_

A smile forms on his face as he starts to forget about the steps and stops worrying about looking like a fool. He literally just moves with the music, getting the courage to move his arms and legs at the same time. He spins around and catches sight of Sam.

_So let's sink another drink__  
><em>_'Cause it'll give me time to think__  
><em>_If I had the chance__  
><em>_I'd ask the world to dance__  
><em>_And I'll be dancing with myself_

Hestops for a few seconds stares at her and neither one of them say anything. Then Freddie shrugs and waves her over. Sam happily joins him as he begins to sing along to the song,_ "Oh dancing with myself, __Oh dancing with myself, If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance."_

Sam smiles as she grabs his hands and spins herself underneath it. Freddie continues to shimmy, shake and sing_ "If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance, If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance."_

The music fades away and Sam smiles at Freddie, "Not bad Benson, not bad."

Freddie's grin grows, "I figured you had so much fun I might as well try it, but then I felt silly dancing by myself, and then… I remembered the song, so I played it and suddenly it didn't matter anymore."

"All that mattered was you having fun?" Sam asked, knowingly.

"Yeah, I get why you do this now, I was having a bad day, and now… "Freddie paused trying to catch his breath, "I feel great."

"Yeah, the best advice that I've ever seen, heard or read is to Dance Like No One's Watching." Sam replied then gently tugs her hands out of Freddie's. He hadn't even realized they were still holding hands but now that they weren't Freddie felt as though something was missing.

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><p>AN: R&amp;R!<p> 


	82. Cuddling

**AN: Oh, goodness it's been so long. So long! I'm sorry, I'm busy (working 3 jobs!) but still sorry. I hope you like this chapter in Sam's POV. I'm also working on a profile that I need to put together to be accepted into my creative writing class and was wondering if anyone was interested in reading the pieces I've written for it so far. No pressure. Also, if you like my story check out the short but sweet 101 Days of Bade a kind of spin off of my story. This chapter is set during/after iOpen A Restaurant.**

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><p><strong>Cuddling<strong>

**Sam's POV**

Freddie makes another crushing on Carly comment and I feel my fingers curl into fists. I turn to face the kitchen in the underground basement, close my eyes and count to ten. My therapist says I have anger issues, but hey he's also dating my mom, so he must be as crazy as me.

It's not fair, it's not fair, and it's not fair. After all this time, after all the words we shared, the three big important ones that I'll never hear or say again, after all the fighting and making up and after all the kissing and cuddling, how can he go straight back to liking her? The reasonable part of my brain, hidden way deep down in a dusty corner of my head thinks that maybe this is just his own way of dealing. He doesn't throw himself into a new situation and work harder than he ever has before simply because he's always been a hard worker.

However, the me part of my brain, the one that doesn't think before it speaks just hates him. My heart breaks when I see him crushing on Carly, even if she doesn't return his affection at all. My head pounds when he laughs too loud at a joke she made that wasn't even that funny. Anger boils inside my when I see Carly innocently touching his arm and the lopsided grin he used to save for me appears on his face.

Carly gets everything and don't get me wrong, most of what she gets she absolutely deserves, she's the best person I know. But she doesn't want Freddie, she doesn't want him and she never has (never really has anyway) but she still gets that option.

I can only admit this to myself in my head; and even then only for a fleeting moment but I miss him. I miss Freddie, which sounds ridiculously because I see him every day. It's not the same though and we both know it's not the same. I don't know how many times I've caught myself leaning closer to him waiting for a kiss, or slipping and nearly calling him baby then having to come up with an extremely clever nickname to cover up my mistake.

I love him and I'm honestly not sure when or if I'll get over him. It's like a repeated stab wound every time I see a hint that he's recovered and especially so quickly. But there's nothing I can do about it, I thought that we might have a chance at getting back together.

But if Freddie can forget about me and move forwards (or backwards I'm not too sure) this fast then I really can't believe that anymore. For now, I will turn myself towards something I have never even considered before, working hard. Making the best hot meat sandwiches that you can get in Seattle, in the States, heck, maybe even in the whole world, and actually pleasing customers instead of irritating them.

I can also serve as Gibby's bodyguard, this place is really raking in the dough and I'm glad to be making money from something I actually enjoy doing. I never thought that I'd enjoy working. That will get me through the day, or the school day and the after school crowd will get me through part of the afternoon.

As for the nights, I'll have to settle to eating chocolate and fatcakes and cuddling my cat Frothy. It may result in me losing my fingers, but for now it will have to do.

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><p><strong>AN: I love this chapter for some reason. I love cuddling with my kitten James! He's eating right now, but he'll probably come snuggle for sleeps soon. :D R&amp;R!<strong>


	83. Crazy

A/N: I MOVED! I LOVE MY NEW HOUSE! My James has a new best kitty friend, and I started my second job as a playground supervisor which I also love. Here's a chapter for you.

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><p><strong>Crazy<strong>

Sam bites her lip and withdraws the hand she had raised to knock on the door – on _his _ door. This is crazy, but she doesn't know what else to do. She hasn't known what to do since she got back from the vet this morning, with a box of ashes (Frothy's) tucked under her arm. She's still carrying around that damn box and she doesn't know what to do with it either.

Her first thought about the box had been to bury it, but then that hadn't seemed right. Frothy had always been a little bit wild and liked to roam (just like Sam) and she didn't think it would be fair to put him - _ trap him- _ underground forever.

Her first thought about where to go had been Carly's. But once she reached the Bushwell plaza she was reminded that Carly and Spencer were out of town. Sam debated turning around in her head multiple times, but somehow found her feet carrying her up to the eigth floor of their own accord.

She stood facing the Shay's apartment door for several minutes debating just throwing herself on the couch and remaining there until Carly came home, but then she remembered the box. The burnt up remains of the only thing in her home that loved her unconditionally, the only thing Sam had ever been responsible for – she had found Frothy, injured, missing his leg, and near death when she was only five years old.

She had nursed him back to health, and soon Sam was the only who was allowed to pick him up or pet him. If anyone else tried he would hiss, bite and scratch. Even if it was Melanie, Sam liked that about Frothy too – he never confused her with her twin.

So Sam hadn't wanted Frothy to be in the box for a couple more days, that would again feel like she was trapping him somewhere against his will. Frothy had been allowed to come and go as he pleased, and most of the time he did, he would follow Sam out the door as she left for school, and return only when she returned to go to sleep. He was a roughed up cat and he shouldn't have live past a year, but he was a tough little thing - _again just like Sam - _and he had made it longer than anyone had ever expected him to live.

Sam shifted the box to the other side of body, and bit her lip harder, tasting blood. She didn't know what else to do, she didn't know where else to go. So, she raised the hand she had lowered again, and turned the knob – she doesn't even know why she even considered knocking.

Freddie looks up from his laptop when he hears the door opening. He glances at Sam, in his apartment, where she hasn't been since they broke up, and then to the box in her hand. She looks a little gloomy and Freddie hopes that she's not in trouble yet again.

"Hey Sam," he says cautiously, "What's in the box?"

Surprised and shocked would be the correct words to describe what Freddie felt when his question caused Sam to burst into tears. He immediately leapt from his seat on the couch, cringing only slightly when he heard his laptop fall to the floor, and was in front of her in three long strides. "What's wrong Sam?"

Sam hastily wiped the tears away with the back of her hand, "It's stupid to cry, he was old, he was disabled…" Freddie looked at her confused, but she continued now holding the box in front of Freddie and shaking it. "He only had three legs!"

Suddenly Freddie understood, and he took a step back, worried the lid would fly off the box and the contents would spill with force Sam was using on it. "Oh Sam." Freddie said softly, "I'm so sorry, I know he meant a lot to you."

Sam nodded, not meeting Freddie's eyes, but muttering in a voice barely above a whisper, "I don't know what to do with him…"

Freddie nods understandingly, and leads Sam out the door by her hand. He leads her all the way outside the apartment building before he speaks again. "We'll figure this out together Sam… now where did Frothy like to go?"

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><p><strong>AN: awwww. Sad chapter. As I write this my kitty is looking for some mischief to make, he does live up to his name. I'd be a mess if I was without him. Anyway I should be in bed, please R&R!**


	84. Crayons

**AN: yay another chapter. This is because I have my first day off since July 1****st****! :D I'm very excited to sleep in, and watch tv all day. OKAY. So, here's your reward, a chapter.**

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><p><strong>Crayons<strong>

Carly Shay had a master plan. She always had a plan. This plan involved her two best, and most infuriating, friends. She wanted to talk to Sam and she wanted to talk to Sam about Freddie. So that was the explanation as to why Carly had spent the last half hour digging in her brother's closet and finding some things she wish she wouldn't have memories of. However, her hand closed around a small box and she cheered, finally, success, she knew that Spencer had these hidden somewhere.

She ran back to the living room, where Sam was sprawled out on the couch flicking through the channels. Carly hid the box behind her back and tried to hide the bounce in her step. She called her best friend's name and when Sam looked up at her she used her best puppy dog eyes, "Will you let me try out a new hairstyle on you? I've been trying to do it on myself, but you know I learn faster doing it on your hair." Carly begged.

Sam blinked a few times, unable to break eye contact with Carly's big brown eyes and pouty face. After a long battle of wills, Sam finally muttered, "Fine, but you now I can't sit still unless I have…" she trailed off as the brunette placed a few sheets of blank paper, and a box of crayons on the coffee table. Sam slid onto the floor from the couch making sure Carly had enough room to sit behind her, but still be close enough to do the hair thing she wanted to try.

"Awesome," Sam said, immediately gluing her eyes to the paper and pulling a red crayon out of the box at random. Carly situated herself behind her best friend and started brushing the tangles out of Sam's curly blonde locks.

After a few moment, Sam sighed contently and Carly grinned impishly. Sam might complain about girly things all the time, but what girl doesn't love having their hair played with? Carly knew that when Sam sighed she was relaxed and relaxation and distraction (provided by the art project) were what Sam needed to answer questions unguardedly.

"So, how are you?" Carly asked as she separated Sam's hair into separate sections.

Sam shrugged her shoulders, "Same as usual, you?"

"I'm good, I was just wondering, because you know, it's been awhile since you and Freddie broke up, and I was wondering if maybe you were going to start dating again… there's this cute boy in my AP Bio class who has this huge crush on you…" Unbeknownst to Sam this cute boy was Freddie as Carly was sure he still had feelings for Sam.

"I don't think so, I mean, I know it's been a few months. But it was Freddie, you know what I mean?"

Carly nodded, then realized Sam can't see her, "Yeah, I guess."

It's silent for a few moments as Sam scrutinizes the crayon box before she picked out a light blue, and while Carly concentrated on the complicated braid. "Hey, Sam…" she began tentatively.

"Yes, Carls?" Sam replied, as her hand flew across the page in front of her.

"When do you think you'll be over Freddie?" Carly asked.

"Never." Sam answered instantly, "Ouch Carly, that hairs still attached to my head!"

Carly had accidentally pulled a little too hard, "Sorry, sorry, what do you mean never?"

"I mean like, I won't get over Freddie, it was serious. He was my first love." Sam explained.

"You loved him?"

"No."

"But you just said-"

Carly was cut off, "I love him, not loved. Love as in right now I love him…" Sam said.

"But… you guys aren't together right?" Carly asked to confirm, it wouldn't be the first time Sam and Freddie had kept a secret from her.

"We're not together right now." Sam said, "We were too different, but it doesn't mean I don't love him anymore… you don't just get over that."

"So… if Freddie wanted would you get back together?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders again, and pressed down a little too hard, swearing when the purple crayon broke. "Maybe, someday, but maybe not… I mean I can't predict the future, but I also would not totally be against it…"

Carly finished off the braid tying it with one of her hair elastics as Sam added, "provided he still loves me too that is."

Sam stood up and wandered towards the fridge. And Carly looked at the red, blue and purple on the page in front of her, pondering that information. Freddie and Sam didn't just like each other, they had been, and still were, in love… she was going to need a version of crayons for Freddie. Maybe she could ask him to fix her computer.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed it! R&amp;R!<strong>


	85. Cool

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the lack of updating, but I actually have a really good reason. About two weeks ago I sprained my wrist and typing anything was agony until about three days ago. Now I only get the occasional twinge, so I finished up this chapter and I hope you like it!**

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><p><strong>Cool<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Carly handed me a small rectangular package and I looked at her quizzically, "What's this for?"

Carly shrugged, "Oh it's nothing really, I just saw it and thought you would like it."

I shrugged myself before unwrapping it to reveal the newest Galaxy War video game. "_Wow! _Thanks Carls, this is so cool!"

"You can go ahead and try it out on the TV if you want." Carly suggested and I did just that, hoping that the game is as good as the reviews it had received.

I quickly flipped to the correct channel on the TV, and placed the game in the system, before picking up a remote and sitting down on the couch. The game title flashed across the screen and I had to keep myself from letting out a rather girlish scream of excitement.

Carly sat down next to me but I barely even noticed, as I quickly figured out the controls and used them to fly through the tutorial with flying colors.

"So, Freddie…" Carly began and I replied, "Yeah?"

"I was just wondering if you were thinking of taking any one to the school dance that was coming up."

I spared Carly a 2 second sideways glance before returning my attention to the game. "No, besides, it's not like it would be appropriate…"

"Why do you say that?" Carly asked.

"Well, because Sam and I just broke up… and she's not going with anyone is she?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat as a villain popped out of nowhere and I had to rush to beat him, before I lost one of my lives.

"No, not that I know of, but you and Sam broke up months ago, and you asked me out like two days after the two of you broke up." Carly explained.

"Oh… right… well, to be honest Carly, I think I was just… looking for an escape. I'm really sorry if I led you on or hurt your feelings." I said concentrating on learning a new combo for a special attack.

I think Carly might have smiled to herself then, although I wasn't looking so I can't be sure but she was quiet for a few moments. "It's okay Freddie, I always wondered about that. I'm glad it's cleared up, we're better as friends."

"We most certainly are." I agreed.

"So, back to my previous thought – do you want to ask someone to the dance?"

"I thought we went through this already." I shook my head.

"Well, it's just that there's this girl in my English class…" Carly said. "She's really likes you I think…"

I paused the game, put the controller on the coffee table in front of me then turned to face Carly. "No." I said simply.

"But why not?" Carly prodded

"Because I'm not interested Carly." I insisted.

"But she's cute and funny and really likes you." Carly continued.

"But I don't like her." I shrugged my shoulders.

"How could you possibly know that?" Carly asked, "You don't even know who she is."

I sighed, "I know, because I'm still in love with Sam." I confessed.

"You are?" Carly asked sounding sincerely surprised, "I mean I knew you too liked each other… but love? Love is a big step… does Sam know you love her?"

"I told her." I answered shortly, not wanting to have this conversation anymore.

"Does she love you?" I could hear the hesitation in Carly's voice as she proceeded with her interrogation.

"She said she did." I shrugged again, "But who knows really?"

"So… why did you two break up then?" Carly questioned, "I never got the full details."

I raised an eyebrow, I would've thought that Sam would have told Carly everything, she usually does. "Carly, just because I love her and she maybe loves me doesn't mean that we were meant to be together. Love doesn't always mean you're meant to be, and it sucks but that's just how life is. So you can tell your cute and funny friend I'm sorry, but I'm not interested, and really thanks for the game."

I picked up the controller after my speech, and I unpaused the game, if I couldn't save the girl in real life (Sam never needed saving, she could take care of herself) at least I could save the damsel in distress in the video game realm.

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><p><strong>AN: I love that Freddie's all she said she loved me, almost like he still doubts it, even though it's clear that they meant that they love each other. I also love his little speech where he tells Carly off and the clearing up of the whole could he and Carly still be together? R&R!**


	86. Cookie

**Cookie**

It was an inevitable argument, since Spencer had put all the freshly baked cookies he hadn't set on fire onto one plate. He should have separated them, he knows that Sam can eat ten times what any normal being can and that she's not good at sharing and Freddie however polite and charming he is around most people turns into something loud and a bit scary when provoked by Sam.

Carly told him to put the cookies on separate plates. She knew this – or something like this would happen when he put all those cookies on the plate; even if it was a big plate.

The cookies had disappeared quite quickly. They were surprisingly good with a cool glass of milk, and of course the cookies themselves had still been warm. When it got down to the last cookie they both reached for it at the same time.

Sam was slightly quicker and her small hand closed around the cookie just as Freddie's hand closed around hers. They both glanced down at their hand and then locked stares with one another. "Fredbag, let go, it's mine." Sam's whisper was deadly.

Freddie flinched but didn't lose him grip. "No, I want it." He said calmly.

"Too bad, Frederly," Sam replied sticking her tongue out at him, "First come first serve!"

Carly sighed from her spot at the end of the couch; Spencer had retreated to his room with a few cookies for himself (on a separate plate Carly might add a little snappishly). This was everyday life for her. She thought that Sam and Freddie would act more like the friends they really were then the enemies they pretended to be before they dated.

Carly had known of course that her two best friends would never see eye to eye about anything. They were just complete opposites, and hey – didn't opposites attract? That's what all the books on love said anyway. Apparently that wasn't true because Sam and d Freddie had broken up and things seemed to be reverting to the way they were in middle school – constantly at each other's throats.

With that thought in mind, Carly heard Freddie whining, "C'mon Sam just give me the cookie, you've had five already and I've only had two!"

Sam replied quickly and wittily, "Yes, but I stacked the first three on top of each other and ate them all at once so really that only counts as one cookie."

Carly rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you two are arguing over a cookie." She picked up a magazine from the side table and began to flip through it, debating whether to take the quiz to show her which season she was. She had always thought of herself as a spring – but those fall tones were just so cute.

Sam and Freddie remained locked in a stand-off neither one of them willing to break eye contact or their grasp. It was as if it was a challenge on the popular TV show where people were stranded on an island for 30 days and forced to compete in strange challenges for food.

What felt like years to Sam and Freddie was actually only a few short minutes. Freddie finally relinquished his hold on the cookie saying, "Fine! Carly's right! This is stupid. You can have the stupid cookie if the whole stupid thing is so important to you!" he crossed him arms in front of him – always the model of sportsmanship Freddie was.

A smile flew across Sam's face until she unknowingly caught sight of Freddie's face. He was sitting with his arms crossed; tapping his foot on the floor, but what really got to Sam was the pout on his lips and the sad and almost longing expression in his eyes.

With a small sigh, Sam snapped the cookie in half, grabbed Freddie's hand, and pressed the smaller half into his hand without a word. Carly watched this exchange with her eyebrows raised as Freddie mumbled a small "Thanks" and Sam shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. Maybe Carly had been wrong before, maybe Sam and Freddie really could be friends.


	87. Contest

**AN: Firstly, I want to apologize for no AN at the beginning of the last chapter, I was just so excited to put it up that I completely forgot ALL ABOUT IT! I really like writing ANs and enjoy when you guys comment on them as well as review my actual writing!**

**Secondly, I feel as though I have not done this in a very long time and it needs to be done! Thanks for everyone single one of my now 861 reviews. I really do appreciate anything from a "wow, great job!" to multiple paragraph review!**

**Finally, my goal is to finish the fanfiction before I start school September 5****th****, as I'm going away just before then I'm going to try really, really, really hard, because once school starts I'll be crazy busy - and I've also vowed not to start any new stories until I finish all of my in progress ones. They're mostly Harry Potter fics but feel free to read them if you are a fan of HP as well! Once again thank you everyone, and I will now let you get on with the story!**

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><p><strong>Contest<strong>

This time there was no one around to witness one of the infamous fights Sam and Freddie always seem to get into. It started with a simple conversation which turned out to be deadly the moment Freddie shouted the words.

"_Argh Sam! Why does everything always have to be a contest with you?" _

Sam's voice was a seething whisper when she replied, "Because _Mama _plays to win Benson."

"But this is honestly the most ridiculous argument we've ever had!" Freddie protests.

"I dunno, that one about which cartoon animal is better made to fly the elephant or the bird was pretty dumb."

"Elephants can't fly!" Freddie insists stubbornly, "But this argument is crazy! And why are you proud that you "won"? Freddie adds the hand-gestures that come with things that are in quotations.

"I don't know why I have to keep saying this to you Fredface. _Mama plays to win."_

"But Sam!" Freddie throws his hands up in frustration with the blonde girl, standing across from him with her arms crossed across her chest. "We were arguing over whose mother is crazier! Mine or yours! And apparently you won! I just don't think that that is really anything to be proud of really. Plus if my mom is less crazy than yours you should stop calling my mom Crazy!"

"Nice speech Freddifer, did you practice that in front of the mirror today?" Sam asks, but immediately continues "And your mom is CRAZY!" Sam maintains, "Just not as CRAZY as mine!

"You wanna know who is really crazy?" Freddie asks his voice rising in volume and intensity with each word.

Sam looks stunned into the sudden turn this argument has taken and is momentarily silent. Of course you can't keep Sam quiet for long, so in an unsure voice she says, "Sure…" trailing off and wondering what Freddie could possibly say next.

"WE ARE!" Freddie shouts, " we must be the craziest people I know, because we fight over everything, and I mean everything no one else but the two of us could argue over whose mother is crazy, no one else in the whole entire world – heck, the whole universe would even think about having this conversation, and even if they did have this conversation there is no way in hell that they would wind up arguing over it!"

Sam tilts her head and looks at Freddie quizzically after his second extremely long-winded speech, "Are you saying we're crazier than aliens?"

Freddie nods fervently, the fire and passion of their argument still alive in his eyes and the flush on his cheeks, "We must be!"

That's when Sam flops down on the couch and says something that has them both dissolve into laughter and forget everything from before.

"I guess it runs in the family."

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! R&amp;R!<strong>


	88. Confession

**AN: Well, so much for getting this story done before school starts. I think maybe I can do it before Christmas. My school semester is insanely busy especially the next couple of weeks but I haven't updated in ages and I really needed to write something that wasn't going to be marked. I'm taking a Creative Writing class at university and I am beginning to submit some of my original works to the local literary journals, so maybe I'll be an actual published author soon.**

**Confession**

The idea that Carly wanted to have a slumber party was ridiculous. Twelfth grade was too old to be having slumber parties, and even if they hadn't been too old Sam had never been one for slumber parties anyway. It consisted of all the girly things she generally hated.

She didn't want to know the latest fashion style – content in her leather jacket and jeans. She didn't care about if she was ingesting too many calories – because as long as it was delicious it didn't matter to her. She didn't care if boys thought her hair style was done – her hair was naturally curly and she was too lazy to do anything else with it. She didn't enjoy the gossip either – she really thought that everyone should just mind their own business.

Still, Carly had invited her, Wendy, and Tasha to have a slumber party before they graduated. Carly said she regretted she hadn't done more with these people and with the end coming up so quickly (faster than Sam even wanted to think about) she had reluctantly agreed – for Carly.

So she had grit her teeth as Wendy had painted her nails a horrendous shade of green that was apparently the new "it" color. She had forced a smile onto her face as Tasha brushed her hair into some crazy style that left most of it piled on her head in a heavy heap, with her bangs falling irritatingly into her eyes. Now, they were onto gossip and for the most part Sam was grateful that she could get away with just listening.

"First guy you ever kissed Tasha!" Wendy demanded.

"Simon Belllegian in 5th grade behind the bleachers during recess," Tasha said.

"Ooooh! Sam you're the only one left! First kiss, when and where!"

Carly looked at Sam apologetically and shrugged her shoulders, mouthing "just tell them."

Sam sighed, rolled her eyes and spoke, "Freddie Benson, 9th grade, fire escape of Bushwell plaza."

There was a shocked look in Wendy's eyes, "But didn't you two hate each other then?"

It was Sam's turn to shrug then before she muttered, "I've never _really_ hated Freddie."

Tasha raised her eyes at that comment, "Oh come on, not even a little bit?"

Sam wondered why the question turn taking had turned into an interrogation where she was being forced to confess every thought and every feeling she had ever had about, with, or near Freddie.

Carly turns out to be of no help because she found herself rather curious about the answers to these questions, never mind the fact that everything that had happened between Sam and Freddie should remain just that – between them.

"Oh c'mon Sam!" Wendy begged, "Tell us!"

Sam sighed again before admitting, "I have never hated Freddie. I really did very much dislike him when we were in the sixth grade; don't worry though the feeling was mutual. Throughout middle school we became friends – part forced because of iCarly and our friendships with Carly – and part natural we figured out we had some pretty cool stuff in common."

"And we all know what happened next!" Tasha grinned, "You two fell in love right?"

"Yes," Sam replied, "But not with each other, he fell in love with Carly years ago and I started to fall in love with him about three years ago."

"But you guys did end up dating, that must've been a dream come true," Wendy pointed out.

"Yes, and hell on earth at the same time," Sam countered, "What about you Wendy? Is it true you're not a virgin anymore?"

And thankfully that one big question that Sam herself managed to ask redirected the conversation so none of what she had confessed was mentioned again. Or at least not by those girls on that night anyway.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this! R&R!**


	89. Circus

**AN: So I'm currently clueless about Clueless, but I have written this, so clueless will be next.. I'm attempting to write a novel and failing miserably. I'm writing for my Creative Writing Class and I have 500000000 papers/essays/tests this month. But I just had to write something for you guys as well. Enjoy.**

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><p><strong>Circus<strong>

Sam wasn't sure if she could stand one more second of this. She wanted to mash pillows over her ears and scream loudly, she had to drown all this noise out somehow. Sam didn't want to talk about this it was too soon, too early – she wasn't ready yet.

Don't misunderstand. It's not that she wants to spend another year at Ridgeway, thank you very much. And thanks to Freddie, Carly, and Principal Franklin, she won't be spending another year there. But she still has quite a few months left there, but it's December and college applications are due soon – and Sam is not ready for that yet.

She's not even sure what she wants to do. She knows a lot of people feel this way about these issues when they're her age, and they usually work themselves out. Heck, Spencer certainly didn't become a lawyer and he's doing just fine now, better than ever actual, working at an art museum and displaying his pieces there.

Carly is going to be an actress, she's studying theatre in New York – or at least that's her dream college, NYU, and Sam is positive she'll make it. With her grades and iCarly being such a big hit… it just makes sense. Freddie's off to college to do a double major in computer programming and film studies – nerd. Wendy has decided to become a police officer – of all things, Sam thinks with a roll of her eyes. Gibby… well, no one is quite sure what Gibby's going to do, but unlike Sam he's not worried about it in the least.

"So Sam, have you been thinking about college?" Carly asks her blonde friend.

Sam curls herself up tightly on the couch and closes her eyes, trying for a second not to think about college. That's all she's done since the end of September and she still hasn't come to any viable conclusion, she answers Carly's question with a quick nod.

"Oh really?" Carly asks, and Sam can hear the happiness in her best friend's voice, "I'm so happy for you!"

Freddie whose been watching Sam this whole time and listening to Carly's rant about how New York is the best city ever and NYU is the most amazing school, poses the ultimate and the penultimate questions though, "Do you know what you want to do? Or where you want to go to school?"

Sam slowly opens her eyes and locks her gaze with Freddie, he doesn't flinch and break contact like he used to, instead he stares back, brown boring into blue. He knows she doesn't know yet, but he also knows that she'll figure it out.

Sam has always known how to take care of herself, now that she has her grades in order (Freddie always knew she was smart but lazy), Freddie doesn't worry about her finding her way anymore. He finally cracks a grin and winks, letting Sam know that it is okay if she doesn't have very little detail worked out yet.

"No plans yet…" Sam pauses, lets out a long sigh, and says, "Maybe I'll run away and join the circus."

Freddie can't help the response that jumps from his lips almost too quickly, "Well, you'd fit right in with the circus folk."

Sam glares at him, but then her glare softens as she realizes he is failing at supressing the laughter at his own joke. Sam smiles for what seems like the first time in weeks and states, "I've always been the ring master in your life haven't I?"

"More like the lion, I haven't been able to tame!" Freddie spits back, happy to see some fire returning to Sam. An argument breaks out over who would be the better circus performer, and Carly rolls her eyes and laughs at her friends. All thoughts of college are forgotten.

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><p>Later that evening as both Sam and Freddie head out the door of Carly's apartment (Sam has to feed Frothy), Freddie faces Sam in the hallway where they usually just wave goodbye and puts a tentative hand on Sam's shoulder's feeling the curls beneath his fingers.<p>

"Listen Sam, I know you want to go to college, and I know you haven't quite figured things out yet, and I just wanted to let you know that's okay."

Sam who had been sure that Freddie was about to lecture her on the best colleges and programs in the country is surprised and takes a small step backwards. Freddie let's his arm drop as Sam gazes questioningly at him, "Sam, you'll figure it out, you always do. You are the strongest person I know, and you will do just fine on your own. That being said, if you ever need help, all you have to do is ask."

Sam blinks a few time, but remains silent, then without warning she throws her arms around Freddie's neck, hugs him tightly, whispers "Thanks" in his ear so quietly that he isn't even 100% sure she actually said it, and takes off down the hallway with a wave.

* * *

><p>Freddie shakes his head at the enigma that is Sam and unlocks his apartment door. <em>She'll be okay, <em> he thinks as he gets ready for bed.

* * *

><p>In a dark park that Sam cuts through on her way home she thinks, <em>I'll be okay.<em>

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry it's been so long, hectic life! R&amp;R!<strong>


	90. Clueless

**AN: I'm not dead! I swear! I've just been epic-ally busy. **

**Hey it's my birthday though! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! :) **

**I am going to finish the fanfiction. I have not died. I am having a big fat workload of university stuff (classes, Italian play rehearsal etc.), but I missed writing and I missed you guys. I had 6 courses last semester and only 5 (but one's online) so I'm hoping to finish this before school's out in April. Thanks for sticking by me through all this waiting, please enjoy…**

* * *

><p><strong>Clueless<strong>

For a nearly straight-A student and supposed tech-genius, Freddie really could be dumb sometimes. Well, no that's not exactly true… perhaps it's not the right term at all. Naïve might be a better way to describe him.

Oblivious would work just as well, ignorant, and insensible also fit the bill (the thesaurus had become a new book she actually liked in her quest to pass some actual classes) , but if Sam had to pick a single word to describe the Freddie that she had been hanging around with for the past few weeks, it would have to be clueless.

They had only been broken up for a couple of week, and already he was inviting hot girls to come and watch his pathetic little band, and he was hoping to get a new girlfriend. And about a week or maybe two weeks ago (she`s lost count of the days recently, they seem to stretch out longer and longer) he was barking up the old "I love Carly" tree.

But it really hadn't been _that _long since they had broken up. They absolutely had been a couple, and before that they had had a relationship that could only be described as Frienemies, now it seemed that he had just reverted back to that frenemies status, and of course, she had done the same, but at least she wasn't out chasing boys that were way hotter than him around.

Freddie didn't seem to notice the way she would have to stare at the ground and repeat a mantra over and over in her head as he would rave about a new girl he was going to invite to see his band, or whatever lame excuse he had used this time.

He didn't see the disappointment in her eyes when he compliemented Carly on her looks, skills, and talent as he ignored (much worse than insulting in Sam's opion) her. Freddie didn't understand that although she agreed that they were perhaps the worst couple in the world, she wasn't over him yet.

It was awful. Sam was aware that this stuff was supposed to take time, she had suffered through enough romantic comedies with Carly to pick that piece of knowledge up, but the ting was Sam's life had never been like a movie.

Of course, that's not to say there was never any drama, in fact between her family, her schooling issues and the fame that accompanied being a webshow sidekick created too much drama. But she could deal with that sort of drama, her and her mom were just starting to work things out. Earlier this semester Principal Franklin had called Sam into her office and laid down the law, he had outlined a plan with her, warned her that he was not afraid to fail her, reassured she was smart and actually cared about what happened to her academic future, so that was also working itself out, hence the thesaurus.

But the one thing that Sam just doesn't think she can handle anymore (not that she's been handling it all, if anyone looked at the amount of tvs she smashed in the last month or so), is Freddie acting like they never happened. As if they had never dated, as if they hadn't spent time calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend, as if they hadn't fought and made up, as if they hadn't said those three big words to each other… it was as she had originally wanted it, as they had agreed to before their very first kiss.

But Sam had realized she didn't want that anymore. She didn't want the clueless Freddie who said things that hurt her and acted as though they didn't, though by now he should know where the line was. Sam had no interest in going back to being frienemies and it isn't even that she wanted to get back together with him… not yet anyway, she wasn't ready to be a good girlfriend.

And yeah she has Carly and Spencer and Gibby, but that's about it, and right now, Sam could really use a friend who understood true heartbreak, not this clueless moron, who goes gaga over bimbos. Sam hates to admit that she needed her other best friend Freddie, not the guy he was pretending to be.

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><p><strong>AN: PLEASE R&amp;R<strong>


	91. Cage

**AN: Here's a chapter with some of my guilty pleasure T. Swizzle A.K.A Taylor Swift. Anyway, this is the 90****th**** chapter! I'd just like to thank everyone who has stuck with me so far! I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed – both oldies and newbies! And I am still on track to finish this story before my last exam on April 19****th****, 2013. Hopefully I can do it. Anyway, enjoy.**

**Cage**

_He is sensible and so incredible  
>And all my single friends are jealous<br>He says everything I need to hear and it's like  
>I couldn't ask for anything better<em>

I hadn't wanted to go on this date, but Cat had insisted – and man, though she was small, she was persistent. I hadn't been on a date in ages, not since Freddie – and of course, because Cat had been a fan of iCarly and then became my friend and roommate, she knew all the details of my relationship with Freddie – or almost all of them anyway.

"C'mon Sam!" Cat had encouraged after I had told her that Zane had asked me out, "You should go! You haven't been out with any guys since you moved here! It's time! I wish he had asked me!"

"Well, he did get tickets to go see the MMA fight, I guess he could be worse."

"Sam!" Cat scolds but the giggle that follows afterward makes it pretty ineffective, "You should go out with him! He remembered that you like to watch people fight!"

_He opens up my door and I get into his car  
>And he says, you look beautiful tonight<br>And I feel perfectly fine_

So I call Zane back, and he sounds so excited. He tells me that he'll pick me up at 6:00pm and I roll my eyes just a little – I don't like to be told what to do but since it's a first date, I guess I can let it slide.

So 6:00pm on Friday rolls around father than I ever thought if could and a flashy red sports car pulls up outside of our crap shack of an apartment. He knocks on the door and I answer it, he smiles at me and says, "Wow, Sam! You look gorgeous!"

I raise my eyebrow because I hadn't tried that hard, I had on a pair of navy blue jeans and black t-shirt that read I 3 MMA in purple print. "Thanks" I reply as we walk towards his showy little car, and he is the perfect gentlemen and opens my door.

As I climb into the car, I realize that I'm not even a little bit nervous.

_But I've been screamin' and fightin'_  
><em>And kissin' in the rain<em>  
><em>And it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name<em>  
><em>You're so in love that you act insane<em>  
><em>And that's the way I loved you<em>

As far as first dates goes, I've definitely had worse. But here's the thing – everything was perfect. It was too perfect, it was almost like he was trying too hard – and I really wasn't even trying at all. I had known from the very beginning that Zane and I were not going to turn into a long-term kind of thing.

Firstly, I don't have long-term kind of things – I get bored and distracted easily. Secondly, I didn't feel like a wreck when I was with Zane. People will say that's a good thing, but let's be honest here – if he doesn't give you butterflies on the first date he never will.

I think that a relationship – especially one with me – should be filled with emotions. The couple should drive each other crazy because they don't get along – they should have screaming matches with each other on a regular basis.

They should make-up on the fire escape outside in the pouring rain. But only hours later have me wishing they were dead. Real love is irrational – doesn't make sense – makes you lock yourself up in a mental hospital.

_Breakin' down and comin' undone  
>It's a roller-coaster kinda rush<br>And I never knew I could feel that much  
><em>_And that's the way I loved you_

Every date with Freddie was like that. We fought and argued so much that it was almost impossible for us to do anything alone. However, it was even harder for us to stay apart. We were both so passionate, so energetic, and we had such opposite views on practically everything that it made us realize you can hate and love someone at the same time._  
><em>_  
><em>_He respects my space and never makes me wait  
>And he calls exactly when he says he will<br>He's close to my mother  
><em>_Talks business with my father  
>He's charming and endearing, and I'm comfortable<em>

Zane texts me saying he had a great time and that he'd like to go out again. Cat steals my phone and replies that she'd love too. I try to strangle Cat but she opens her big brown eyes and blinks her long dark lashes a few times and I feel like I am being smacked in the heart with reminders of Seattle and two other sets of big brown eyes that made her melt.

I grab my phone back and look at the newest message – it's Zane, saying that he'll call with the details at 9:00pm. Sure enough, 9pm right on the dot, the phone rings and it's Zane.

I still don't feel nervous, I actually feel oddly comfortable – like I'm inside a cage at a zoo – but I was born there so I can't possibly know what I've been missing.

_But I've miss screamin' and fightin'  
>And kissin' in the rain<br>And it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name  
>You're so in love that you act insane<br>And that's the way I loved you_

But here's the thing – I know exactly what I'm missing. I'm missing explosive arguments and make-out sessions that set my heart racing. I'm missing the two am text messages that make me angry that he woke me up but smile all the same. I miss doing crazy things in order to impress him – or him doing crazy things because it made me happy.

_Breakin' down and comin' undone  
>It's a roller-coaster kinda rush<br>And I never knew I could feel that much  
>And that's the way I loved you<em>

I'm missing elevators and I love yous and feeling so much that I want to cry, laugh and scream all at the same time. That's what I had with him.

_He can't see the smile I'm fakin'  
>And my heart's not breakin'<br>'Cause I'm not feelin' anything at all_

On our next date, Zane tries too hard again. He brings me to this new fancy place – where they only serve vegetarian food. And I plaster a smile on my face and try to be polite because I'm still new to L.A. and I need to continue to make a good impression in order to keep friends and keep myself out of juvy.

But here's the thing – it's Zane trying to impress me with things that never would impress. We don't belong together – I don't feel upset that this isn't going to work out – I don't feel anything for him at all.

_And you were wild and crazy_  
><em>Just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated<em>  
><em>Got away by some mistake and now<em>

Inside I know I am not that caged animal. I am Sam – hear me roar! Wild and free, fun, danger-loving Sam. I am not going to be happy in a relationship where everything is easy. I need someone who stands up to me, while standing up for me. I need someone who drives me insane, makes me want to grab them by their collars and either kiss them or kick them. I need some depth, and the one guy who made me feel that way is still in Seattle.

I've made a huge mistake letting him go.

_I'll miss screamin' and fightin'_  
><em>And kissin' in the rain<em>  
><em>It's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name<em>  
><em>I'm so in love that I acted insane<em>  
><em>And that's the way I loved you<em>

I still have his number in my phone. I had texted him to let him know that I was alive, but refused to tell him my whereabouts. Freddie needed to finish high school and go to university, and I am still trying to put the pieces of my life without Carly together. There's no time for me to argue with him about coming back home – Seattle isn't home without Carly anyway.

There's no chance of us kissing in the rain – here in sunny Los Angeles. Sometimes at 2am, I still curse his name, but only because I miss him. And without him, I'm starting to feel a bit more sane – isn't that what he wanted anyway?

_Breakin' down and comin' undone_  
><em>It's a roller-coaster kinda rush<em>  
><em>And I never knew I could feel that much<em>  
><em>And that's the way I loved you<em>

So, I'll have to figure out my own life before I can expect that butterflies in the stomach, nerve-wracking, vomit-inducing kind of feeling again. I know that it can be felt – but I need to know is it only Freddie that makes me feel this way?

_And that's the way I loved you_  
><em>I never knew I could feel that much<em>  
><em>And that's the way I loved you<em>

**AN: So I passed out on Tuesday for the first time in my life and smashed up my face. I'm alright – but even if you didn't like the chapter, I feel like that should give you something to comment on – R&R!**


	92. Bracelet

**A/N: Well, I'm not done this fanfic, but I am done my third year of my five year university program, so we can celebrate that! – Gives time for you to celebrate – We can also celebrate that this fic has over 900 reviews and 90 chapters! –More pause for celebration – I'm celebrating because that's freakin' amazing! I appreciate each and every single review, and as a reward for reviewing I've written you a brand new chapter!**

**Bracelet**

_It's always darkest before the dawn._ The quote that Sam can't remember where she saw it is running through her head somewhere, and it doesn't make sense to her. It's not always darkest before the dawn, not really anyway, the sky gets lighter as the time ticks by.

All Sam wants right now if for time to freeze so she can sort her feelings out. She prefers to do this in private, in her room, in her house, where her mother is passed out on the couch in the living room. Even though they're two twin beds squished into the little space that Sam has, she is absolutely alone.

Normally, she prefers it that way, normally being alone is not a problem. Sam is used to it; sometimes she even enjoys only her cat for company. But tonight Frothy is out hunting, and Sam is really, truly, all alone, and it's 1am and everything that's happened over the past few hours is racing around in her brain.

She's sad, she thinks, she knows that their decision to break up was for the best. She's angry of course, angry at Freddie, angry at Carly for unintentionally pointing out what they both needed to seem, angry at her mom for not being a good mom when she needs to talk. She's disappointed, though mostly in herself, she really thought that she could make things work with him – she hadn't been lying when she confessed she loved Freddie.

Sam remembers him telling her that he loves her, and she bursts into a fresh batch of sobs. She thought she had finally controlled the tears; they had started at 12:01 after she climbed down the fire escape. Sam takes a deep breath, wipes her eyes, wipes her nose on her sleeve – tissues be damned. Then she gets up, opens her closet door and grabs a box from inside it. Sam dumps the current contents of this box (a collection of stuff she's stolen) onto the floor of her already messy room, and instead starts picking up things that remind her of Freddie.

The few framed pictures she has cramped on her night stand get tossed into the box, except for the one that solely features her and Carly – that is until she remembers Freddie took the photo, and then it's in the box too. She unceremoniously tosses her backpack into the box and stomps on it until it is flattened – anything school related reminds her of Freddie.

She eyes her laptop suspiciously, debating how much she needs it, versus the need she feels to destroy it, and ultimately she thinks that she can handle the computer as long as she doesn't use it for schoolwork – or to watch iCarly – or to watch a dorky movie she won't admit she likes – and then the laptops in the box too.

Sam glances at her phone, and it's blinking with a text – a text from who? The time reads 1:45am, and her room has been stripped almost bare – the text is from the last person she wants to hear from right now, and it simply read _you can keep the bracelet, if you want._

Sam suddenly stares in horror at her left wrist. The simple braided fabric bracelet with her initials on it; was the first thing Freddie – as her boyfriend – had given her that wasn't food related. Sam hadn't told anyone about where it came from, but she hasn't taken it off since he gave it to her. She's not even sure if she can.

It's attached by a tightly tied knot, and no matter how hard she pulls the string of the damn bracelet won't break. She'll have to cut it off. She reaches into the pocket of her leather jacket – on the floor just inside her bedroom, and pulls out a penknife. With her right hand, she flips the knife open and places it carefully between her wrist and the bracelet, in one fluid upwards movement, the knife slices through the fabric and the bracelet falls to the floor.

Sam is surprised by the overwhelming relief she feels, as she picks it up and tosses it into the now overstuffed box. She shoves the box back in her closet, slams the closet door shut, and then slides down it so her back rest against it.

_It's not always darkest before the dawn_ she thinks bitterly, _it's darkest when it's 2am and you're alone in your room and have no boyfriend and no one to confide in. _And that's when the tears start one last time, as Sam cries herself to sleep on her bedroom floor.

**A/N: Oh, sad chapter. I know a lot of people have written this type of chapter before, but I hope you guys don't mind one more version of what happened after Sam and Freddie broke up at midnight! I love you all for reviewing, and hope that I can finish the fic by the end of May! So, thanks once again, and R&R!**


	93. Bowling

**A/N: Okay, SLIGHTLY AU here, but I'm trying my best to keep in continuity with both Sam and Cat as well as iCarly. So this is set after Carly leaves but before Sam moves to LA (technically there's like no time between these, but bear with me, right?).**

**Bowling**

**Sam's POV**

Ever since Carly had moved away, it had been like all of the fun had been sucked out of my life. No more iCarly, no more sleepovers, no more stealing food out of their fridge (oh, okay, so I'm still going to steal food out of the fridge for as long as Spencer let's me), but most importantly, no Carly.

I'll be honest, I haven't always been the most popular person. I am not really none for having friends. So with Carly going to Italy leaves me alone with my mom, or stuck hanging out with the nub. So when another Friday night with no plans rolled around, and I heard my mother's lovely voice shout, "GOING TO VEGAS! BE BACK SOON!" I decide to text said nub.

_Hey, do you wanna do something tonight?_

The beep of my phone with a reply is almost instantaneous. _Sure, did you have anything in mind?_

_I dunno, but not a movie, I need to move around._

_How about bowling?_

_Sure, sounds good. But just to be clear, this is not a date._

_Of course not. Just two...people... hanging out, having fun. Meet you at Splitz at 8?_

_See ya then, nub._

I glance at my clock noticing that it is quarter to seven, and taking the bus to Splitz will take me at least thirty minutes, so I hop in the shower lickety-split. I dress myself in a comfy pair of faded blue jeans and a red and grey striped top. I run my fingers through my bangs, and half-heartedly attempt to get my hair to curl in the same direction. It never does.

I throw on my heeled boots and cringe at the though of the red and blue bowling shoes I am going to have to put on. I glance at the time, this time on my cellphone, before grabbing my keys and my wallet. Then I head out the door.

* * *

><p>I arrive a little bit late, as the bus system cannot run on time, so I'm not surprised to see Freddie sitting on the bench outside with his cell phone in his hand.<p>

"Hey dweeb!" I call out, and naturally he looks up.

"You're late, Sam!" He chastises, but he does so playfully, rolling his eyes at me.

"Well, it's not a date, so I didn't have to be on time."

"It's polite to be punctual," he teases.

"But again, it's not a date, so I don't have to be polite!" I stick my tongue out at him.

Freddie holds the door open for me, and it is my turn to roll my eyes as I walk through it. "So Puckett, we going to keep talking or are we going to bowl?"

"Well, I'm going to bowl, you're so uncoordinated that you will probably take one step to many and slip on the waxed aisle before dropping a ten pound ball on your own face." I laugh.

"Oh, you're on. Best out of three?" Freddie questions as we reach the front counter.

"Sure, and since I'm the best, I will win all three!" Freddie rolls his eyes again, as he pays the cashier, and as I pull out my wallet to pay my share his eyes widen in shock.

"Sam, you're offering to split the bill?" Freddie has already taken his change, and is leading us over to the bowling shoe rental stall, "That is so not you."

"Well, it's not a date," I stress again, "So, at least let me buy the snacks?"

Freddie nods with a little bit of a smirk on his face, and I want to smack it right off again, "Can I get a pair of size ten shoes for me, and a seven and a half for Sam, here." Freddie winks at the girl behind the shoe rental counter and she giggles before disappearing into the back towards the shelves.

"Oh, aren't you a real stud, flirting with shoe-counter girl!" I bat my eyelashes and put on the highest girliest voice I know, "Oh, I was working at the bowling alley, next to all the smelley shoes, and he was here with another girl, a blonde b-i-t-c-h, and he winked at me and it was love at first sight!"

"Shut up Sam!" Freddie hisses as the girl returns with both pairs of shoes, I happen to notice that mine smell a whole lot more than Freddie's. "C'mon, we're lane 8." Freddie points me in the right direction.

We slip off our own shoes and stick our feet into the rentals that make us look like clowns. I sit myself down in the scorekeepers chair and type in the nicknames.

* * *

><p><strong>Freddie's POV<strong>

As our names appear on the television screen above us, I let out a groan. It reads Sam the Winner and Fredweeb the Dorky. "Nice, Sam, nice, shall we start the game?" I test out one of the bowling balls from the machine that spits them out, and motion for Sam to go first.

* * *

><p>About two hours later, we are finishing up the snacks that Sam had actually paid for, surprisingly. The bowling games had gone well, except for the bowling ball that Sam claims she accidentally dropped on my foot. I hadn't won any of the games, but the last game had been a tie, up until Sam got two strikes in a row on the final two shots.<p>

"Wow, you must be getting a teensy smidge better." Sam jokes, as I throw out our garbage and we head outside.

"Thanks, I guess." I hold the door open for her again and she rolls her eyes at me again, "Since this isn't a date..." I begin, "Do you want a friendly escort home?"

"Actually, I'm headed to Bushwell," Sam replies, "I gotta visit Spencer, I think he misses Carly more than I do."

"I miss her too," I state, as we turn and head back towards the building where we have spent most of our teenage years. This is dangerous territory as we haven't really touched on this subject since Carly moved away.

"What are you going to do about school? How will you pass now?" I ask Sam, knowing I would never let her fail.

"I'm not really sure what I am going to do, to be honest," Sam shrugs her shoulders, "I've been thinking a lot about moving away."

"Sam, you're not even 18! You can't move away by yourself !" I say, panicking slightly.

"But here's the thing, Freddie, I can move away by myself. There's nothing really holding me here in Seattle anymore."

By this time we've reached Bushwell, and are climbing the stairs (an unspoken agreement, dates had ended in the elevator) towards the apartments. "I can't believe you are actually serious about this, Sam, what am I going to do without Carly and without you?"

"Hang out with Spencer? Make some guy friends?" Sam laughs.

"When are you thinking about leaving?" I sigh, understanding that she is being serious and hating every second of it.

There's a few minutes of silence as we reach the hallway before Sam replies. "I leave tonight."

"What?" I am thrown into shock.

"Mom went to Vegas, Spencer still has my bike, so I'm just dropping by to say my farewells and grab it, then I'm off."

"Where are you going?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"No idea yet, but I'm going to head south. I'm sick of the rain Freddie." Sam said, "I need some sun in my life."

"Will you at least stay in touch...please?" I beg reaching out to grab her hand, before I can stop myself.

Sam looks at our hands, then up at me, "Yeah, I think I can do that Benson." She squeezes my hand tightly then drops it, "Goodbye." She says as she heads into Spencer's apartment.

I stand with my jaw dropped as the door closes, and repeat quietly to myself, "It's not a date, it's not a date, it's not a date."

Because if it had been a date, I would've have begged her not to go, told her I'm still in love with her, and kissed her until we both ran out of breath.

But it's not a date, so I have to let her go.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry, it has been so long since I have updated, working two jobs during the summer is exhausting and at one point I had worked like 30 shifts in 25 days with no breaks at all. So, I'm looking forward to school starting up again, and only having one job, please forgive me and R&amp;R.<strong>


	94. Boredom

AN: I am not dead, and I am sorry. 4th year is kicking my ass. I'm determined to finish this though! Hope you are all still reading! Also totally spoilers for Sam and Cat special and Sam and Cat in general. I am attempting to stay as Canon as possible.

* * *

><p><strong>Boredom<strong>

**Freddie's POV**

Friday nights are boring consistently. At least in my world they are. They never used to be , Friday nights used to be spent with friends. Now, now they are generally spent by myself.

I have never been particularly popular, always the nice guy, never the one with hundreds of friends, I can list my friends on one hand. There are four of them, or they used to be anyway.

Number 1: Gibby is my friend, but since he does not have iCarly responsibility and his mother has needed his help more since she picked up a second job, I have not seen him as much. He always calls or texts, does not just show up anymore, hoping to be on iCarly. No, he is still a good friend, but he is busy and that is understandable, between schoolwork and babysitting his brother we rarely hang out.

Number 2: Carly. She used to be right across the hall, barely five steps and I would be there. Door unlocked and I could walk right in and and not feel out of place. Sweet, kind, Carly who was my friend even while I was pining after her. Carly who held Sam closest to her, when no one else wanted to get near Sam, and Carly who was the one who had the idea to start the webshow in the first place (although I take credit for the name). With Carly comes the next friend... or really, her brother... so...

Number 3: Spencer. He is a great guy, and he is still across the hall, but half the reasons he hung around us was to keep an eye on Carly, and to make sure Sam and I didn't kill each other... okay, to make sure she didn't kill me. But now that Carly is in Italy and Sam is in LA, Spencer keeps the door locked.

Finally, we have number 4. Sam... Sam... what can I say about Sam? This past week in LA. First the phone call from her roommate, that set my heart racing and had me searching for plane tickets as fast as I could. Sweaty palms, having trouble breathing, thinking, hoping that she would be okay, and knowing that I had to see her right away. Then the arrival in LA, and the craziness that ensued. Her roommate Cat... who... used me to make Sam jealous. The idea that she was putting herself in danger for her friends - even though she never did jump the vicious tuna... and the way she leapt in after we fell in and made her way straight to me.

We fought, we made up, we laughed together, and I got laid up in a hospital. When I think about it, pretty normal stuff when you consider the history between Sam and I... but... with Sam around I never have to worry about boredom. I may have to fear for my life, and I may have to get my heart broken (or maybe... there's a chance I already broke hers) but together, we'd never be bored.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aiming to be done this fic by April of 2014, wish me luck! <strong>


	95. Blondes

**AN: Basic knowledge of #KillerTunaFish from Sam & Cat is going to help you get through this chapter. Also amazing that I have written 94 chapters about Sam and Freddie!**

**Blondes**

Sam really did feel bad about Freddie's injuries, and because he couldn't talk, she had had to call his mother; and that had been a nightmare. While she was sobbing over her baby boy being hurt again, Mrs. Benson had somehow managed to scream at Sam that her little Freddiekins was hurt by Sam for the umpteenth time.

Sam supposed Mrs. Benson had a fair point so she did not interject or correct because actually...she had saved Freddie. After getting Mrs. Benson set onto the next flight to LA and comforting a crying, exhausted Cat who was finally hit by all the emotion of the past few days, she walked back into the room Freddie and Robbie were sharing.

Cat was curled up in a chair beside Robbie's bed her small hand in one of his cast covered hands. Robbie also appeared to be asleep, his glasses resting on the nightstand and his eye shut tight. Freddie's eyes were open and as blue met brown, Sam was surprised to find that her eyes were filling with tears.

She blinked and managed to keep the tears at bay. She perched herself carefully on the edge of Freddie's bed. "It's been a few years and really this is all my fault sooo... I'm sorry Freddie." She spoke quietly but Freddie blinked at her and attempted to wave his arm.

"What? Are you trying to tell me something...?" Sam paused realizing communicating with Freddie might be harder than normal, "Blink once for yes, twice for no. Okay?"

A deliberate slow blink answered Sam and she couldn't help the small smile that formed on her face. "were you asking me to get you something?"

_Blink._

"From this room?"

_Blink._

"The guitar?" Sam had heard enough of the song Robbie wrote for Cat.

_Blink. Blink. _Then Freddie held up his hand stiffly, which Sam interpreted meant wait, then he blinked once.

She laughed, running a hand through her still damp hair, "Okay, I will get the guitar too. Something of yours then?"

_Blink._

"in your backpack?"

_Blink. Blink._

"Your clothes?"

_Blink._

"Your jacket?"

_Blink... wink._.. Sam was confused for a moment. "do you want your phone that is in your jacket pocket?"

_Blink._

"Freddie, that phone is not going to work, here use mine." Sam reached into her pocket (her phone had been in her motorcycle saddlebag and thus avoided the water) and placed it in Freddie's hand.

Awkwardly, Freddie began typing with one hand into a blank text box, _Thank you._

"For what?"

_For saving my life._

"Yeah, but it is my fault you needed saving in the first place, if i hadn't made friends with Cats friend Jade this never would have happened." Sam replied, then remembered she was still kind of mad about that. "You said ou came to LA because Cat said I was hurt right?"

Freddie blinked once. "So... then why didn't you come try and find me right away? I found you hanging out with Cat at Bots."

More typing it seemed to be sort of frantic this time.

_I did. First I asked Cat if you were in the hospital. The she said you were home, and then I walked in and went to look for you and she said you were not home and the... confusion, it is all kind of a blur, I think there was some Spanish involved._

"But you didn't text me all day or call me..."

_Tried to. Cat told me you were on special pills that made you super sleepy._

"Oh. But you looked like you were on a date with her..."

_I have not been on a date with anyone since we broke up._

Sam takes a moment to read that text, as there was a mutual agreement, not to speak about the time they dated at all. "Oh..." Sam says quietly and there is silence before Freddie began typing.

_Cat seems nice... and a bit strange... but she is not my type._

Sam laughs at Freddie's recalling the earlier conversation her and Cat had in front of the boys. "She's not?"

Freddie's response is typed slowly and deliberately. _I prefer blondes._

Sam feels her smile spread across her face, her heart beating just a little faster than it should. She stands up, moves closer to the head of Freddie's bed and leans over.

Freddie's eyes widen as Sam's face moves in closer to his. Her lips kiss his forehead as one hand gently runs through his hair, and she whispers, "I still love you Freddie." Then just as quickly he stands up and says, "I am going to go home to change, then pick your mom up from the airport, I'll be back soon, get some rest Fredward."

On her way out Sam grabs the guitar and as she exits the room, Freddie thinks he has always preferred that particular blonde.

**AN: R&R**


	96. Baseball Bat

**A/N: AW. I am trying to update seriously. I had the worst case of writer's block ever plus no time in between graduating from university in April, and doing my first placement for my Bachelor of Education this May. Plus work. You know, work. But this is a great chapter in my opinion, and set in the future I have created for Sam, Freddie and their daughter Shay. Also a big shout out to all the dads out there as this is sort of a Fathers Day chapter. So have fun with this, and since I have Tuesday-Thursday off I will try to post another chapter or two at some point this week.**

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><p><strong>Baseball Bat<strong>

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and Sam is cheering loudly as her five year old daughter steps up to home plate. Freddie is watching fearfully, as thick brown curls poke out from underneath the purple helmet Shay insisted on wearing, even though it clashes horribly with her orange and gray uniform. Shay picks up the plastic baseball bat, and waits a little impatiently as her coach places the ball on the tee.

It is her first real game, and Sam is so excited that her daughter is getting a chance to do the things she never did as a child. Shay has already shown that she has a bit of a temper, not unlike her mother, and Freddie has suggested putting her into sports so she can get rid of that extra energy. Tee ball, however, had been Sam's idea. Freddie would have preferred soccer, or maybe if Shay had become a a track and field star, but Sam had discovered during her time in California that hitting things with a baseball bat made her feel better, and figured that if Shay actually knew how to properly channel that extra energy, she might be very good at it.

The Orange Crushers was the youngest co-ed tee ball team there was. Freddie has thought it important to start her on a team sport so that she could practice her social skills as well. Sam had insisted on a co-ed team because there was no way boys were better than girls and while some of the young children on the team preferred drawing in the sand with their fingers to playing the game, Shay actually had a pretty good swing.

So as the coach set the ball on the tee and stepped out of the way, Shay swung the bat back over her shoulder, and remembered what her Daddy had said. "Eye on the ball", narrowing her gaze at the ball, Shay also recalled what her mother had said when they had all been practising in the backyard, "power, you need lots of power". So Shay swung the bat and with a fairly loud crack it connected with the ball, and Shay paused for a moment to watch it head into the air.

Then she heard both her parents voices, shouting, "RUN! SHAY! RUN!" and off she went, around the bases, but just as she got to third base her shoelace came untied and she tripped skinning her knee. Shay's face scrunched up as the pain hit her and she tried really hard not to cry, but a tear or two dripped down her face.

Freddie had leaped out of the bleachers the moment he saw Shay stumble, and was on the field within seconds. As soon as Shay saw her father, her already fractured composure crumbled completely as she burst into tears and wailed, "Daaaaadddddy!"

Freddie kneels beside his daughter not caring that he's stopped the entire game, and envelopes Shay into a big hug. "It's okay, baby, you're okay," he reassures her, wiping her tears away.

"But my knee!" Shay cries, pointing, and indeed, underneath the grass stain, the gray pants with the orange stripe are becoming stained with red. "It hurts Daddy!" and her full lips pout, making Freddie's heart melt.

"I know baby, but you need to finish the game, why don't we go get a band-aid from Johnny's mom?" Freddie suggests as he quickly tied up the shoe that had caused the fall. Johnny was a classmate of Shay's that she was quite taken with and his mother was the wife of the tee ball coach, and also a nurse, so she ran all the first aid at the games and practices.

Shay sniffled but nodded, and when she stood up, there was applause from the crowd, most of the kids at this age would have been in their parents arms begging to not play tee ball ever again. Shay grabbed her Daddy's hand tightly and together they walked to the batting cage where Johnny's Mom, Mrs. Silverthorn was waiting with the first aid kit open. The coach then resumed the game, Shay had been out as soon as she hit the ground.

"Hello Shay, dear," she said as they approached her, "That was quite a spill you took there."

"Yeah, I hurted my knee," Shay says pointing to the red stain on her knee.

"You hurt your knee dear," Mrs. Silverthorn corrects gently, "yes, why don't you roll up your pants so I can take a good look at it?"

Freddie smiles and Mrs. Silverthorn, extra thankful for her extreme kindness with the children. Shay rolls up her pants, and Freddie is even more relieved when he realizes it is extremely superficial. Just a small cut on Shay's knee that requires some disinfectant and purple band-aid, and a kiss from her Daddy, then it's all better.

"Okay ready to go back to the game?" Freddie asks her, part of him hoping she'll say no, so she'll never get hurt again, and most of him realizing that it's important to get back on the horse you've fallen off of as soon as possible.

Shay nods and hurt knee forgotten she runs back to join her team. Freddie heads back up to the stands, where Sam has been watching her face twisted with concern and amusement. "She okay?" Sam asks Freddie, as he takes his seat beside her.

"Yeah, she's fine. She's tough, like her mother." Freddie smiles at Sam, wondering why Sam hadn't been threatening the coaches for calling an out on Shay.

"I was a little worried, but I don't think I've ever seen you move so fast before," Sam glances sideways at Freddie.

"I just saw her fall and I was so worried she had broken something and feeling so guilty because this was my idea... and I was so scared that you would be angry with me because of it..." all of the feelings that Freddie had shoved aside to make sure his baby was okay now came tumbling out of his mouth.

"Freddie, you need to relax babe." Sam leans up and kisses him on the cheek. "Kids fall down sometimes and it's no one's fault. Sometimes they even break bones – although I am very glad Shay didn't. I am not angry with you at all for suggesting this, I still think it is a great idea and Shay loves it, look at her now!" Injured knee now definitely forgotten it is Shay's teams turn to be in the outfield. She is one of the few kids actually paying attention to what is going on at bat and has her glove tucked carefully over her tiny right hand, waiting for the ball to fall right into, her concentration is fierce for a five-year-old (meaning a butterfly flying by would still easily distract her).

"You're right-"

"I'm always right." Sam interrupts.

"She does love it," Freddie continues rolling his eyes at his wife.

"I'm so proud of her for getting back in the game." Sam mentions, her smile spreading wider, "but seriously she is such a Daddy's girl."

"That's not true," Freddie disagrees as the game winds down and the children head back to their parents.

"Well, she certainly wasn't screaming for me out there..." Sam mumbles as Shay meets them.

"Mama, Mama, did you see how far I hit the ball?!" Shay exclaims happily.

"Of course I did baby girl, you did a great job!" Sam replies, kneeling down, so she is eye to eye with her daughter.

"But I falled down." Shay said frowning.

"That's okay Shay," Sam reassures, as she pulls the purple helmet off, and tries to tuck a strand of flyaway hair back behind her daughter's ear. "Even professional athletes fall down sometimes, baby girl, do you know what the most important thing that they do is though?"

Shay shakes her head. "They get up and back into the game just like you did today, okay?"

"Okay, Mama. But next time I don't want to fall down, I want to win."

"That's my girl." Sam grins at her daughter, "Are you hungry?"

"YEAH!" Shay shouts.

"Then let's go get some lunch," Sam says. Freddie leans down and scoops his daughter into his arms, and she laughs as she leans against her Daddy's chest.

Sam smiles at the sight of her husband and daughter locked in that embrace as she passes a hand over her growling stomach absent mindedly.

They walk back to their car this way, Shay's expended energy fading, so that she's asleep by the time Freddie's buckling her into her booster seat.

"She's definitely a Daddy's girl." Sam smirks, as Freddie climbs into the drivers seat and starts the car. "But it's okay, because I'm definitely her Daddy's girl."

Freddie grins at the compliment, and reaches over the console to squeeze Sam's hand lightly, before putting both hands back on the steering wheel. He signals to turn out of the parking lot and head toward the restaurant.

"Besides..." Sam continues several moments later, "Maybe this next one will be more of a Mama's boy..."

"Yeah maybe." Freddie says, turning into the parking lot of the restaurant, before what Sam said has sunk in. "Wait!" he almost shouts as he stops a little sharply... "The next one... or this next one?"

It's not like he and Sam have never talked about having more children, it's just he could have sworn she had said...

"This next one." Sam confirms, her hand resting on her belly. "I'm pregnant Freddie."

Freddie lets out a gleeful noise and leans over to kiss her wife deeply. "I love you so much, you know that right?" he says when they break apart for breath.

Sam nods, a wide grin on her face, "I love you too Freddie... Happy Fathers Day." Her stomach growls loudly, again, "Now, let's get our baby girl and go get some food, I'm eating for two here!"

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><p><strong>AN: AW. How cute is this? R &amp; R!<strong>


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